The Importance of Prioritizing
by windwhisprer
Summary: [3x9 Hx3 Hx9][AU] In New York city, Sanzo lives a dull life. After running into a brunette that screws up his life, and dealing with a pair of mismatched eyes he wished he'd forgotten, Sanzo learns the importance of getting your priorities in order.
1. Papers, Papers, Everywhere

**A/N:**Allright. This is mostly going to be a SanzoGoku story, though there will be HomuraSanzo mentioned and major HomuraGoku hints, if not more. Anyway, enjoy one of my more light-hearted stories.

**The Importance of Prioritizing**

**Chapter One: Papers, Papers, Everywhere**

Genjyo Sanzo didn't need anyone. He didn't want anyone. He didn't need some blonde bimbo clinging to his arm, telling him about how much she loved him to survive. He was capable of living all by himself thank-you-very-much. In fact, he liked it that way. Alone, in his one bedroom house. Equipped with a nice kitchen, an understanding living room with a relaxing couch and a TV Sanzo often found himself sleeping in front.

He never did like his bed much.

Most people who met him always looked at him in pity. He was twenty-two years old, living alone in a one-bedroom house that smelt heavily of cigarettes. They often said that he needed to get out more. That he needed to live his life instead of just sitting around all day, staring at his computer screen. Some of the guys even commented that he seriously needed to get laid. He hated those people. They knew nothing about him, yet they loved to pry into his life.

Sanzo had set himself up as a writer. He wasn't overly famous, but his books were on the shelf, and they sold enough to keep him fed. When writer's block had it's grip in him, Sanzo often found himself wandering into a nearby bookstore. He would simply smirk to himself when he saw a shelf of his books. Clean. Published. Right there in print. He loved seeing them. It meant he was someone. He was there. He didn't care if he never sold a single copy. He just loved being able to flip through his own books, seeing his own writing staring back at him.

Not like he'd ever admit it, though.

Sanzo enjoyed time where he could just sit, and write, or watch TV, not bothered by anyone. Though somehow, Sanzo always found there was someone who liked to annoy him every once in a while. His editor, Kanzeon, for example, never could contain herself from cracking the whip, barking at him to get his work done. He'd kicked her out of his apartment more then once. Whatever. The hag deserved it.

Hakkai was one of the few people Sanzo found he could stand. The young green-eyed man owned a small bookstore just down the street. They had met one afternoon when Sanzo had stumbled into his store to admire his own hard work. Hakkai had recognized him immediately and began to talk politely. Sanzo found his presence wasn't as annoying as others, and allowed the man to ask as many questions as need be. Hakkai was one of the few people that called him Sanzo. His real name. Konzen Douji was the cover name he used as a writer, and it was who most people knew him as. He both hated and respected the man for it.

Someone Sanzo found he couldn't stand was Hakkai's good friend Gojyo. The man was loud, repulsive, and all around a complete and total asshole. The young man worked at a bar, and gambled often. Sanzo had found it amazing two people who were so different could be friends.

Sanzo didn't love his life-- he wasn't someone who could just do that. But at the same time he didn't overly hate it. He was content. That was how it was supposed to be.

Then, why was it his life had been flipped around in one fell swoop?

He had been standing at the train station that morning. Sanzo had a car, but it was a piece of junk that barely moved. Besides, he enjoyed taking the train. There were a lot of people often crammed together, and god knew he hated people, but at the same time he could sit back, relax and watch the world pass him by. No one even cared if he got off or not. He could ride all the way from one end to the other, just listening to the sound of the wheels on the tracks. It was peaceful.

He'd been waiting for his train, as he did every morning when he headed out to his favorite restaurant for breakfast. Sanzo couldn't cook to save his life, so he never bothered. He had enough money to go out to eat, so why not? It was better then eating out of cans anyway. He had been minding his own business, smoking, when someone ran into him.

Both of them tumbled to the ground. The contents of the boy's bag had been lost all along the platform, and Sanzo could hear him cursing. Sitting up, he found the young brunette gathering up his utensils. Chopsticks, knives of all kinds. Spoons and forks. What the hell was he going to do with those? Not like he cared. "Watch where you're going next time, idiot," Sanzo snapped, pulling himself to his feet and dusting the dirt from his pants.

The boy was scrambling for his lost items. "I'm sorry! Really! I wasn't watching! Sorry!" he sounded like he was in a hurry. Sighing, Sanzo bent down, grabbing a wooden spoon and several spatulas and holding them out to the boy. The brunette looked up, and their eyes caught. Golden eyes. Sanzo had never seen anything like them, and found himself staring. The boy was staring as well, so it wasn't like it mattered. Slowly, he reached out, and grasped the items Sanzo was holding. The boy swallowed, as though his throat was suddenly parched. "Thanks..." he whispered.

"Goku!" someone shouted from behind him, snapping Sanzo out of his trance. He looked up, finding a dark haired boy running up behind the fallen brunette. The boy was very pale, but hoisted the brunette up with ease. "C'mon! We're going to miss our train!" he cried, grasping the boy's hand and heading towards the train on the opposite platform. Sanzo found himself watching the two boys run off towards their train. He immediately looked away when the brunette turned to give him one last look.

He headed on his train, staring out the window as people and places past by him. He missed the morning rush, as he did every morning, and he was thankful for it. He was so wound up in his thoughts he almost missed his stop. Climbing from the train, he took the short walk to the small restaurant. He got a table fairly easily, and ordered his meal. It came fairly shortly, and Sanzo relished in the silence. Unfortunately, it was not to last.

"Konzen Douji! There you are!" came a loud, shrieking voice that bore into Sanzo's mind. A few people looked up at the familiar name as the long, dark haired editor took her seat across from him. Sanzo glanced around the restaurant, hating the fact that a few people were now whispering about him.

"Damnit, you old hag, can't you at least use my real name in public? I'm going to have to get rid of half this crowd now," he snarled, sinking in his chair.

"Geez, what crawled up your ass?" Kanzeon asked, before opening the folder she had dropped on the table. "Now, I've come to discuss deadlines. You owe me a manuscript."

Sanzo rolled his eyes, poking at whatever was left of his breakfast with his fork. He had suddenly lost his apatite. "I know, if you'd stop bothering me I'd get it to you. With you hovering around me, it's impossible to get anything done."

"If I didn't hover around you, then I'd have nothing at all," Kanzeon sighed. "Konzen, is something wrong? You don't seem to have as much bite as you usually do."

She was right. Normally by now he would've come up with some nasty remark, which would have lodged them in a full out yelling fight. But he simply sulked in his seat, pushing a piece of potato back and forth with his fork. "I don't know. I've just got a bad feeling," he muttered, getting to his feet and shoving his hands in his pockets, heading towards the front counter to pay. "Just leave me alone and I'll get you the manuscript by Thursday."

Kanzeon snarled. "It was due two weeks ago," she snapped, rising to her feet to follow him. "It should be done by now!"

Sanzo reached into his pocket, pulling out his wallet and paying for his breakfast, before turning from the restaurant. "Do you want it done, or do you want it done right?"

"Konzen Douji!" Kanzeon snapped, her high heels clicking on the sidewalk as she walked after him. "Do not try and pull some crap that--" Kanzeon stopped suddenly before running into Sanzo's back. She looked up at the taller man, glancing around in front of him to find out why the blonde had suddenly stopped in his tracks. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of who stood in front of them. "Homura," she hissed.

Standing before them was a tall, dark haired man wearing a long black jacket. The victorious smirk played on his lips, and his mismatched eyes were hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses. He reached up, and pulled the glasses away, smiling down at Sanzo with a devilish look. "Hey," he said, folding and pocketing the glasses. "How long's it been Konzen? Three years? Four?"

Sanzo narrowed his eyes at the man in front of him. Homura had always found his cover name ridiculous, and often liked to tease Sanzo with it. That was back when they had meant something. Back when Sanzo and Homura used to be an item, a couple, whatever the hell you want to call it. Back when Sanzo was just starting out his career as a writer.

Back when Sanzo was an idiot for falling in love with such a pompous airhead.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Sanzo snapped before he could stop himself. "I thought you moved to Chicago."

Homura shrugged, completely ignoring Sanzo's sharp tone. "I did. Found it beautiful, for a while. But then I started to miss New York. Started to miss you." He smiled, and Sanzo narrowed his eyes. Homura was playing with him again. Just like he used to. Sanzo studied the gold and blue eyes that peered at him under dark bangs. The glinting gold suddenly reminded him of the boy at the train this morning, and then he wondered where such a random thought came from.

"Unfortunately, I'm starting to miss not having to look at your sorry face. Now move, I have work to do," he snapped, before brushing past the older man, heading back towards the train station.

Homura was not so ready to let him go. Grasping Sanzo's wrist, he smiled. "C'mon Konzen. Let's talk. I want to see if we can fix things."

Sanzo ripped his arm back, disgusted. "Shove a stick up your ass. I said I didn't want to see your ugly face and I mean it. Now piss off." He then turned, and rapidly began heading down the street. Kanzeon shot Homura a victorious look, which the dark haired man returned with a glare.

The woman held her head high as she clip-clopped after Sanzo. She waited until they were out of hearing distance before she let a smile catch her lips. "Well Konzen, I must say I'm proud of you."

Sanzo grunted in response.

Kanzeon looked up at him, unable to hide her grin. "I may be your editor, but as much as you don't like it I'm your Aunt as well," she stuck her tongue out. "My little Sanzo's growing up."

"Shut up and die," Sanzo snapped.

Kanzeon chuckled. "All right, I'm sorry," letting her smile fade, she added in a much colder tone. "I need that manuscript before Thursday, Konzen."

---

"Goku? Goku!? You asleep again?"

Bleary golden eyes blinked, focusing on the young man in front of him. Nataku. With long dark hair that had been pulled back, with frightening golden eyes that matched his own. As Goku slowly began to awaken, he began rubbing the sore spot on his forehead, where it had been pressed against the desk. He blinked, glancing around the classroom that was rapidly emptying of student. Giving a yawn, he stood. "Man, I must've dozed off again."

"Again?" Nataku shot back, with a questionable quirk of his brow. "Have you been sleeping at all lately?"

Goku gave him a bleary-eyed smile. "Nope," he answered, gathering his books as the pair turned and headed from the hallway. "I've been too excited. I start my internship Saturday. I'm studying at a small restaurant just south of here."

For as long as the boys knew each other, Goku had always had a passion for food. It was later in their high school years that the seventeen-year-old had begun taking culinary courses, and began studying food. Nataku was convinced that Goku just liked cooking because he could eat what he'd made afterwards. Luckily, the boy had managed to score himself an internship not far from where he lived, where he could study food and not be bereted for sneaking in a dessert or six. Nataku had been proud of his friend, and couldn't wait to stop by his restaurant to try some of his dishes. Goku promised to make something personal just for him.

Nataku had always been a bit envious of his best friend, only because he'd found something he was truly passionate about. He was still shifting from one job to another, trying to find something he could really get into.

"I just hope you don't fall asleep over the stove or something stupid," Nataku added, before chuckling softly at the imagery.

Goku laughed too. "I hope not," he added, as the pair grabbed their bags and began heading out towards the train station again.

As the pair became enveloped by silence, Goku let his thoughts wander on the man he had met that morning. Well, not met as much as run right into. He'd had to admit he couldn't help but think the man was absolutely beautiful. The way the sun played with his golden hair had left him speechless. And those violet eyes...

Goku shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, before he realized Nataku was talking to him. "I'm sorry, what?"

Nataku frowned slightly. "I was asking if you had any change for the train," his frown only deepened. "Are you all right? You're either asleep or impossible to talk to. You got something on your mind?"

Goku paused a moment, turning the image of the blonde around in his head once again. "I was thinking about that guy I met at the train this morning," he muttered, looking up to find Nataku giving him an amused smirk. "Not like that, you idiot! I was thinking about how much of a jackass he was. I mean, I apologized and everything, and he was... still mean...?"

Nataku could see right through his pathetic little lie, but decided to humor him. He just laughed, patting his friend on the back as they headed up towards the train station. "Yeah, don't worry about it. Assholes come and go."

Goku knew Nataku could see right through him, and pouted because of it. "Whatever." The pair purchased their tickets, heading up towards the platform. Goku found himself looking around, hoping to see that blonde haired man, if only to tell him off. When he didn't see him, Goku couldn't ignore the disappointment that welled in his chest.

---

Saturday came swiftly, and Goku found himself up at seven, to make sure he was at the restaurant by eight thirty. He had been brought through basic training, told what he was supposed to do, and how to do it properly. He was vegetable cutter. Great.

The restaurant was busy in the mornings. People came in and out for breakfast, then it cooled down a bit before it spiked again as lunch began. Goku found himself running back and forth, taking orders from every direction. He couldn't even think straight anymore. Despite the fact that it was busy, Goku was still having a lot of fun. He didn't have time to make friends, but he'd said hi to a lot of chefs. Most of them brushed him off, too absorbed in their work to care. Some had said hello back, which made the brunette grin.

He was getting very good at slicing vegetables, and by the end of the night he could do it blindfolded. Thought that hadn't stopped him from cutting himself more then once. His fingers were covered in bandages by the time the dinner rush had set in.

"Goku!" barked another chef, causing him to jump. "Our table buster is busy. We need you to clear away table nine!"

Goku had a hard time grabbing the bin before it was shoved in his hands. Offering a tired smile, he nodded. "'Kay," he cried, before hurrying out to fulfill his task.

He headed out through the maze of tables, arriving at the desired one and placing the bin down. He placed plates and cups inside, wiping it down, unable to hide his grin. Leaning against the table, he allowed himself a moment to breath. In another hour, he would be able to go home, fall asleep and relax. Of course then he'd have to get up and do it all over again tomorrow. But it was worth it. Just being in that kitchen made him happy. Maybe one of these days he'd be able to start cooking in his own restaurant.

"Geez Hakkai, you're as bad as she is. Why can't everyone get off my goddamn back?"

Goku's eyes snapped open and his muscles tensed all over again. He'd heard that voice before. Why did it sound so shockingly familiar? Flipping around, Goku could feel his throat close up when he saw the blonde haired man from the train station rising to his feet, heading for the door. He could only stare, mouth open, as he watched the man open the door, stepping out into the early evening, heading home. There were two other men with him, a brunette and a redhead. The redhead seemed to be having a great time, but the blonde kept snarling at him.

Goku's gaze fell back to the man's table, annoyed that he had let the man slip through his fingers. As he approached the table, he was surprised to find one of the men had forgotten his wallet. Goku picked it up, opening it. Inside, he pulled out the driver's license, surprised to find the blonde's scowling face looking back at him. He was about to run after them, when a clipped voice called out to him, making him wince. "Goku! We need you in the kitchen!"

"Okay..." came Goku's reply, as he pocketed the wallet and grabbed the bin, hurrying back into the kitchen.

---

It was raining when Goku got off.

He headed out into the street. He'd forgot his umbrella that morning, forgetting that it was going to rain, even though his mother reminded him repeatedly. So, he was left heading though the streets towards the train station, completely soaked and fingering the man's wallet. From his license, he found out the man's name was Genjyo Sanzo. Sanzo... there was something mysterious and alluring with that man. He had no idea what it was, but he wanted to find out. After getting his address from his license, Goku realized that the man didn't live far from him, deciding to give it a shot, he headed towards the man's house, no longer caring how wet he got.

He headed towards the man's house with uncertainty. What was he going to say? That he found his wallet? That would probably work, but then, would it make him a stalker to go all the way to his house to give it back to him? Then again, he wasn't going that out of his way, but, maybe it was still creepy?

By the time Goku's train of thought had ended, he found himself on Sanzo's doorstep. He rang the doorbell and waited patiently, feeling the rain splatter down on top of him. He heard soft footsteps, before the door opened, and Genjyo Sanzo stood in the doorway, scrutinizing him with eyes of pure violet. Goku's voice caught in his throat. Why was he here again? His mind went blank and he could only stare. "Well," Sanzo snapped, pulling him out of his trance. "What the hell do you want?"

Goku took in a deep breath, before holding out the wallet. "Here," he said, causing Sanzo's brows to furrow in confusion. "You left this at the restaurant I work at."

Sanzo took the wallet back, giving a small nod. "Okay. Bye," he said, before slamming the door in Goku's face.

The boy blinked, slightly stunned that his nose had nearly been caught. After it settled in what the blonde had did, Goku grit his teeth, pounding on the wood. "Hey!" he yelled, loud enough to make sure Sanzo could hear him. "You could say thank you, you know! Or..." Goku sighed softly. "...Invite me in to dry off." He let his sentence trail off as the cool night air swept over him, the cold rain still pasting his clothes uncomfortably to his body. "I'm not leaving until you thank me!" Goku yelled again, pounding his fist on the wood. "So you'd better thank me, asshole!"

He waited a few minutes, and when Sanzo did not open the door, he sighed, taking a seat on the porch and placing his head in his hands. What on earth was he doing? Why did it matter so much that Sanzo thank him? It just proved what he first thought; Sanzo was a spoiled jerk. The bastard was probably sitting inside right then, with all his friends laughing at him. Goku let his head hang. "I'm such an idiot..."

The raindrops suddenly stopped pelting down on him, and he glanced up, surprised to find the man standing above him, holding an umbrella. The man shot him a glare. "Either get your ass off my property or get inside. It's freakin' cold out here."

Letting a small smile grace his face, Goku got to his feet, heading inside after Sanzo. The man told him to stay still, as he headed through the house to get towels. Goku found himself glancing around at the living room which held an overstuffed couch, and a TV seated simply on stand, which at the moment was muted. Beside that was the kitchen, and next to that was a hallway that Sanzo had disappeared down. He reappeared a few minutes later with several towels which he dumped in Goku's arms. "Here," he said gruffly. "Now dry off, change, then get the hell out of my house."

Goku smiled, but said nothing as he headed towards the bathroom Sanzo directed him to. Goku dried himself off completely, and changed into the pair of pants and the t-shirt Sanzo had leant him. After feeling completely comfortable, he headed out back into the living room, finding Sanzo sprawled out over the couch, a laptop seated on his crossed legs and his hands flying across the keyboard. Goku took a seat on the ground, watching him type for several minutes. Finally, after feeling incredibly uncomfortable, Sanzo stopped typing to glare at him. "What do you want?"

"Aren't you going to thank me?" he asked skeptically.

"No," Sanzo snapped, resuming his typing. "Now we're even for when you barreled into me this morning."

Goku pouted, but remained silent as Sanzo resumed his typing. After a few moments, he spoke again. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Sanzo groaned, removing his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose. Clearly he had a headache. "Why? Should I?"

"I don't know. I want you to say... something. I mean, shouldn't you say something? I did bring your wallet back. Doesn't that mean anything?" Goku shut his mouth before he began to ramble, turning his eyes down to study the carpet.

Sanzo got up, heading towards the kitchen for a glass of water. Goku quickly scrambled to his feet, heading after him. "Hey! Are you listening to me!?"

Sanzo flipped around suddenly, grasping Goku's shoulder and throwing him up against a nearby wall, he glared the boy down, causing Goku to lick his lips in anticipation as his throat went dry. He was stunned, and a little more then speechless to find this beautiful blonde haired man glaring him down. He couldn't help but fidget slightly. "What the hell's your problem?" Sanzo hissed. "Why the hell are you so interested in me? Will a thanks get you the hell out of my life? Well then Thank you, now get out and stop wasting my time." Sanzo loosened his hold, turning back to getting the glass of water.

Goku frowned. "You could be a little more polite you know," he snapped. "I did walk all the way here in the rain to return your goddamn wallet."

"So I've heard," Sanzo said with a sarcastic roll of his eyes.

"You don't have to be so mean about it," Goku snapped defiantly. "You are nothing but an arrogant jackass after all!"

"And he gets it!" Sanzo continued sarcastically. "Give the man a prize!" Placing a cup under the tap, he ran it full of cold water, leaning against the counter and cocking an amused brow. "So, pipsqueak, what are you going to do about it?"

Goku pushed himself closer to the man, glaring up at him with absolute defiance. Goku had no idea what he found alluring about those violet pools. They were nothing more then the eyes that belonged to a jackass. He should've thrown that wallet away the second he found it. But now, looking up at him, he wanted to do something that would leave him speechless. That would give him the upper hand. Grinning, he pushing himself up on his toes, attempting to look the man in the eye. "I'm gonna kiss you," he hissed, before doing so.

He had no idea why he was being so bold, or so stupid. Since when was he into guys anyway? But more importantly; why was he melting at the feel of the man's lips? The cup in Sanzo's hands fell to the floor, spilling water across the wood but neither seemed to care. Sanzo was slightly stunned, and Goku used that to his advantage. He kissed the man breathless, only pulling away after realizing what he had been doing. The pair stood in silence for a moment, before Goku felt embarrassment and horror at his own actions. No longer caring, he turned and bolted from the room, managing to grab his shoes before he was out the door and down the street.

He was soaked before he even got to the end of the block. By that time rocks and glass were digging into the bottom of his feet, and he sat down on the sidewalk to pull on his shoes. He held his head in his hands, feeling like an idiot. He'd kissed a guy. Worse then that, it was Sanzo! A man he barely knew. All he knew was his name, and the fact that he was nothing more then a pretentious asshole. Why did he always have to do stupid things like this?

Gently, he placed his fingers to his lips, feeling the warmth from where only moments ago Sanzo's mouth had been firmly pressed against his. He felt butterflies soar through his stomach, and his throat tighten with feelings he couldn't describe.

Threading his fingers in his hair, he realized he'd forgotten his clothes, and his work uniform at Sanzo's. He groaned softly. "Such... an... idiot.." he whispered, suddenly wishing Nataku was here to scold him for such a simple-minded, selfish, all around _stupid_ act.

* * *

**A/N: **I've got one word to discribe this. Oops. This was supposed to be a oneshot, and it's stretched really, really long. Too long to post all at once. Anyway, this should only be six chapters. So make sure to keep me in line, okay guys? I don't want to go off and write a twenty-chapter fic all about Sanzo and Goku sexing in New York city. Though I have a feeling you guys will only encourage that.

I hope you enjoyed, and as always take the time to share your thoughts. Also, if you ahev any ideas for further plot twists, let me know. 'Cause I'm not really sure what to do with Sanzo and Goku. (sigh) They're so troublesome.


	2. Tension Strongly in the Air

**The Importance of Prioritizing**

**Chapter Two:** **Tension Strongly in the Air**

The first thing Goku did when he got home that evening was take a hot shower, letting it sooth all his muscles before he changed into his own clothes, leaving the outfit Sanzo lent him on the back of a chair. As if it was unholy. The next thing he did was call Nataku. He didn't care how much it freaked him out. He needed someone to talk to, and for as long as he could remember Nataku had been his voice of reason. So, he dialed his number, knowing the boy was probably just finishing his homework. Nataku worked on a weird schedule that Goku never got. Lii Touten, Nataku's father, wanted to make sure his son would amount to the best. He didn't like Goku very much.

"Hello...?" came Nataku's whispered voice on the other end of the line.

Goku could not be silent no matter how hard he tried, and he burst out with a, "Nataku! It's Goku, we _need _to talk. _Now_," the second he heard the boy's voice.

From knowing Nataku for so long, Goku could practically hear him frowning form the other side of the phone. "Okay," he said. "What's wrong?"

Before he knew what he was doing, Goku went on a spiel about what had happened only a few hours ago. He told him how he'd found Sanzo's wallet, then traced it back to the house to return it to him. He continued, explained the small argument the pair had landed in, then the kiss that Goku had been so upset about. All the while Goku had been sitting down, and getting up and pacing again, repeating the process in hopes it would ease his anxiety.

"You kissed him?" Nataku replied. His tone was not shocked or appalled, just mildly amused. "You kissed Genjyo Sanzo?"

Goku growled at the small, taunting smirk he imaged on his friend's face. "Stop smirking and just tell me what I should do!" He'd begun pacing the length of his room again.

Nataku took a moment to reply. "Well... you left all your stuff there..."

"Yeah."

"And you're going to need your work uniform for tomorrow, not to mention whatever else you might've left behind."

"...Uh huh.."

"And you're so headlong into this little crush that you can't stop thinking about him no matter how hard you try."

"Hey! Nataku!"

"Don't lie to me Goku, you know it's true," Nataku paused again, letting dead air fill the phone waves before he finally came up with a response. "You're going to have to go back. Just tell him you need your uniform and then never go to see him again."

Goku fell back onto his bed with a pout. One he was sure Nataku could hear. Damn their connection. "But..." Goku whined pathetically. "I want to see him again..."

"There you go," Nataku said proudly from the other end. "You just solved your own problem. Now stop being a big baby and go see him. He can't be that upset over a kiss, can he?"

"I don't know..." Goku whispered, trying very hard to remember the blonde's expression after the kiss. All he could remember was plain indifference. Maybe he was mistaking it for boiling inner rage. "Maybe I should let him cool off for a few days."

"Goku, what about work?"

"I'll borrow a uniform," Goku said. "I don't know Nataku, I want to see him, but I'm afraid he'll be mad." Goku groaned softly. "Life's hard..."

"Especially when you fall in love with the esteemed writer Konzen Douji," Nataku snickered on the other end.

"What?"

"Nothing Goku..."

---

Sunday went without incident. Goku came to work, explained his problem, (with several lies involved. No way was he going to admit he kissed a guy) and they let him borrow another uniform for the day. Though his manager had commented how irresponsible it had been to lose his uniform on the second day. Goku smiled sadly and nodded in understanding.

Goku waited all day to see Sanzo. He prayed that the man would come in, if only just to order a coffee and a bagel to go. He waited patiently, often venturing out of the kitchen to scout out the restaurant. But each time he didn't see him. The entire day went by and Goku felt slightly depressed and unfulfilled.

Two more days rolled by and Goku hadn't seen the man. Nor had he bothered to get his uniform back. Unease twisted in his stomach. Truth be told he didn't want to see those violet eyes glaring down at him, accusing him of something. He'd much rather take the annoyed glances from his co-workers.

It was Wednesday afternoon when Goku had to drive his mother to one of her book meetings. Her car was getting the oil changed and for a while she was without transportation. Goku had reluctantly driven her to the bookstore where her meeting would take place. Instead of rushing off, he began to linger about the bookshelves. He needed a book for English class, but had no idea where to start. For an hour, Goku found himself wandering about the bookshelves, glancing from cover to cover trying to find something remotely interesting.

"Looking for a good read?" came a voice from behind him. Goku jumped, and flipped around, finding a brown haired man smiling at him.

Goku smiled. "Uh, yeah, I need a book for English class," he said, turning back to the shelf. "But I have no idea where to start."

"Hm..." the man mused, as he began to search the rows of books with hard green eyes. "What is it you like to read?"

Goku shrugged. "Anything. I don't care."

The man nodded, moving about the shelves in search of something. "Ah! Here we go!" he said, plucking a book from the shelf and handing it to him. "This is one of my favorites. It was written by a good friend of mine," he said, extending the book.

Goku looked it over. A realistic fantasy. Goku had never really dwelled much on them before. "_Euphoric Dream_," Goku read, before looking back up to the older man. "What's it about?"

"It's an interesting tale," the man chirped, happy to discuss on of his favorite books. "It's about a young man who journeys through the slums of New York City. He arrives in this grungy little place, where it seems everything good has died. He enters this door, where he arrives in a spectacular world riddled with sin. He has to overcome his fears and find a way home. The title contradicts the story almost entirely but--" the man stopped, letting a gentle smile cross his face. "Well, I guess you'll learn once you read it."

Goku flipped the book over, running his fingers along the cover. "Thanks mister, I think I'll take it."

The man laughed softly. "Please. Call me Hakkai."

Goku grinned. "Name's Goku. Nice to meet you Hakkai."

Hakkai placed a hand on his shoulder, steering him towards the register. "Since you seem like such an enthusiastic young reader, Goku, I think I'll give you the book half off."

"Seriously?" Goku exclaimed, before grinning. "Thanks, you're the best Hakkai."

"You're giving another one of our customers a discount, Hakkai?" Hakkai looked up, smiling at the young woman who stood before them. With long, braided brown hair and a pout on her lips. She was carrying a small box filled with books. "At this rate we'll be out of business in no time."

Hakkai chuckled. "Goku, this is Kanan. She's my older sister."

Goku glanced between the two. "I can pay full price if it's a problem," he offered.

Kanan shook her head. "It's all right. I was just teasing. Just take it over to the till and Hakkai will ring it up for you," she offered, before heading off to a far corner to stock.

The pair headed towards the register, and Hakkai rang up the book, as Goku handed him the money. "You said you knew the author," Goku reminded him casually. "What's he like? I've never met an author before."

Hakkai chuckled softly. "A sour man who never leaves his house," Hakkai answered, before handing him the book. "But he's a good person. Just a little... wrapped up."

Gou shot him a questionable look, causing Hakkai to chuckle softly. "Never mind," he said softly. "You can take a seat on one of the sofas, if you'd like to tart reading."

Goku thanked him, and moved to tae a seat on a nearby couch, and began reading. Before he knew it, two more hours had passed and his mother was requesting a ride home. He'd been so wound up in the story he hadn't even realized how late it had become. The book was amazing, and Goku found himself glued to each new page. He stayed up half the night, reading. Something he'd never done before. He had never really liked reading before, and now he couldn't get enough of it.

He finished the book in a day, and was slightly in awe once it was over. _Euphoric Dream _By Konzen Douji. Goku let a smile tug on his lips as he flipped through the book again, glancing at pages and pieces of scenes he'd already read. Finally, he arrived at the author's page, and nearly lost his lunch.

There, staring back at him were a pair of violet eyes. Despite being printed in black and white, he could practically see the violet hidden there. He realized with a start that Konzen must've been Sanzo's cover name as an author. As it slowly registered in his mind, Goku let a small smile catch his lips. Sanzo was an author. A great one at that, Goku thought. _"Who would've guessed?" _he thought absentmindedly.

Suddenly, Goku was overcome with the desire to know more about this man, and the alluring quality was starting to resurface once again. What was it about this golden haired man that made Goku want to dive into his life, and learn everything he could about him? Shrugging off the question, Goku grabbed his wallet, and headed for the train.

It only took him twenty minutes to arrive outside Sanzo's door. That was when the uncertainty hit him again. He bit his lip, gaze flickering down to the wooden porch beneath him. Would Sanzo still he mad? Reaching up, he rang the doorbell, only hoping for the best.

And after a few minutes… nothing happened.

"Open the door you droopy-eyed son of a bitch!" Goku yelled suddenly, pounding his fist into the wood. He hadn't realized how much anticipation had been building until it had surfaced as anger. Letting out a shaky breath, he stood back, and glanced up the door, taking in every crack and crevice. Was Sanzo ignoring him? He was probably just out, he decided. With his new resolve, he turned, before running into a dark haired woman.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the woman said casually, causing Goku to look up. She wore a simple suit, but in no way looked professional. Her dark eyes sparkled with mischievous intent and her stance proved she took orders from no one. "Are you here to see Konzen?" she asked, bending down to his eye level. That alone served to piss him off slightly. He hated how short he was for his age. "Let me guess, fanboy?"

"Uh… no," Goku answered awkwardly. "My name's Goku. I forgot my stuff here last night. And… I just came to get it back."

The woman smiled. "My name's Kanzeon. Konzen is my spoiled little nephew. Now lets see if I can't help you out, hm?"

She stepped up towards the door, before taking in a deep breath and letting out a bellow of, "KONZEN!" Goku winced, covering his ears. Kanzeon waited a moment, before turning to face him. "He must not be home," she answered, before rummaging for her keys. "Whatever. We'll see what we can do."

She turned, unlocking the door and letting him in, all the way muttering about how much of a mess her nephew kept the house. So, Goku thought airily as he headed inside, Kanzeon was Sanzo's aunt? Goku wondered if she was the reason for Sanzo's constant bad mood, before scratching it off. Even she couldn't irk his bad attitude all the time. Goku headed into the living room, slightly surprised to find his bag right where he'd left it, completely untouched. Gathering it into his arms, he turned to Kanzeon, who was snooping through the man's laptop. "Uh, thanks," he said, not sure what to say.

Kanzeon looked up with a smile. "Oh, it's no big deal," she said with a wave. "Anything for Konzen's friends," her attention was drawn back to the computer again. "If you'll give me a minute, I could give you a ride home. I'm actually curious as to how you know the idiot."

"Sure," Goku replied with a nod.

Goku was surprised how easy it was to get along with Kanzeon. Despite being a spitfire, she knew the city like the back of her hand, and almost everyone in it. She showed him around, pointing out places she'd been and the people who went or worked there. In return, Goku found himself telling her all about how he met Sanzo, and what had happened. He left nothing out, not even the kiss that still made his insides squirm. As soon as he finished explaining the kiss, Kanzeon slammed her foot on the break rather harshly, causing him to shoot forwards. He managed to catch himself before his head met the dashboard. "He what?" she shrieked, turning to look at him. "Was he really such an ass to you?"

Goku could only stare with wide eyes, nodding meekly.

Kanzeon swore, slamming her hand on the steering wheel. "That son of a bitch! Konzen Douji I swear when I get my hands on you I'm shoving your computer right up your ass!" Goku couldn't help but smirk slightly at the insult, but it disappeared when she turned back to look at him. "I'm sorry about that, even if he isn't."

"It's no big deal," Goku offered "Really."

Kanzeon smiled sadly as she pulled up next to his house. "All right, here you go, kid," Goku frowned slightly at the nickname, but gathered up his bag and stepped out of the car.

"Thanks for the ride," Goku said.

Kanzeon waved her hand dismissively. "It was no trouble. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a nephew who owes me a manuscript. See you soon, Goku." He stepped back from the car, and she barreled off down the road.

He watched her turn a corner, before turning down to look at the bag in his arms. Shifting uncomfortably, he found he wanted to hurry back to Sanzo's place, just so he could put his bag back. That was a stupid thought, he decided. But as he turned to head back up his walkway, he found he had no other excuse to see the blonde writer.

That thought made his stomach twist for a reason he couldn't name.

---

It had to be the longest day in history. Someone must've stretched the time space continuum just to piss him off, because that what it certainly felt like. He woke up to the sound of his cell phone ringing. It had been Hakkai, inviting him out to lunch. Well, okay, that wasn't a bad thing. He could deal with Hakkai. He'd tumbled out of bed, very ungracefully to find he needed to do the laundry. So he had to wear his slacks while he washed some new clothes. When the buzzer went off, he realized he'd set the spin cycle too high, and half his clothes had been completely ruined.

Well, it had started off wonderfully, hadn't it?

He'd managed to dress and headed out to breakfast, only to remember the brown haired brat worked at his favorite restaurant, and changed his course. He ended up in a small deli, which served a crappy version of his favorite breakfast. This had left him in an even worse mood.

It wasn't as though he was avoiding the brunette that had stolen the kiss from him on Saturday night. He just didn't want to see him. It was completely different.

He didn't even gets the brat's name. How ridiculous was that? Sanzo immediately changed his train of thought, as he approached Hakkai's bookstore.

Hakkai and Sanzo went out to a nice restaurant just down the block from his bookstore. It was a quaint little place where the pair could sit and talk about pretty much anything. Hakkai asked him how things were going with work, and other such polite, innocent questions, and Sanzo found him answering each one. Hakkai was probably the only person who could ask him something completely straightforward and not get a snarl for a reply. Soon though, Sanzo found his rant drifting towards a certain brown haired boy that had completely ruined his Saturday. Before he knew it, Hakkai was laughing lightly. He sent a vicious glare towards the green-eyed man. "_What _are you laughing about?" he hissed.

Hakkai shook his head. "Nothing, nothing, don't worry," he said softly. His smile only widened at Sanzo's glare. "I was just thinking… you sound very taken with this boy."

Sanzo continued to glare. "Explain."

"Out of no where you began talking about him, and you did mention the color of his eyes seven times," Hakkai laughed again at the growl Sanzo emitted. "I'm sorry Sanzo, but just by listening to you, I think you've got a crush."

Sanzo stood, pulling a wad of bills out of his pocket and throwing them to the table. "I'm leaving," he stated, before turning to head for the door. He was not one to stand being made fun of, even if it was just Hakkai.

Sanzo hadn't even gotten home when his cell phone began to ring. Kanzeon was on the other line, yelling about manuscripts, not being home, having no work done (How would she know that? Sanzo wondered) and she kept repeating the name "Goku" over and over. He hadn't really been listening. He simply held the cell phone away from his ear, waiting for the annoying chatter to stop, when it did, he realized Kanzeon was simply taking a breath. Rolling his eyes, he simply hung up on her.

When he arrived home, he felt like shooting himself.

The dark haired man was standing on his doorstep, attempting to glance in through his window. Either he hadn't noticed his presence, or he was being an idiot on purpose. Sanzo doubted the latter. As he cleared his throat, Homura turned to him, a seemingly genuine smile lighting his face. "Konzen!" he said, holding his arms out for what Sanzo expected to be a hug. Sanzo glared at him, silently questioning what the hell the man wanted. Homura smiled bitterly, dropping his arms and pulling his sunglasses from his face so he could get a full view of the man's kaleidoscope eyes. "I was wondering where you were. C'mon, let me treat you to dinner."

Sanzo could feel himself scowling. "Piss off, Homura," he snapped. "I _don't_ want to talk to you."

Homura pouted, though Sanzo knew the insult had done nothing to discourage him. "Come now Konzen, can't we talk?" Sanzo shoved past him, heading for the door. Homura grabbed his shoulder, twisting him around and pinning him to the door, grinning viciously down on him. "I know you missed me too."

Sanzo ground his teeth. What the hell would it take to get it through his thick, fucking skull!? "Get. Off. Me." Sanzo grated out, eyes shinning with pure hatred.

Just as Homura was about to respond, a boyish voice caught their attention from the sidewalk. "Sanzo…?"

The two men turned. Sanzo took advantage of Homura's pause to shove him off him. Standing down at the sidewalk was the brown-haired kid he'd met earlier, who was looking extremely uncomfortable with the whole situation. "I'm sorry, if I'm interrupting something, I can come back later…"

Sanzo growled. His escape was getting away. Pushing past Homura, he grasped the boy's hand, twisting him back into his arms. "Are you kidding? I've been waiting for you all day…" Shit! He needed a name. Suddenly, Sanzo wished he'd taken the time to learn the brat's name. So instead, he said the first thing that came to mind. "What took you so long, Goku?" Sanzo silently thanked his aunt for screaming that name repeatedly in his ear.

The boy looked suddenly uncomfortable. "Uh… but—I wasn't…"

"Say anything and I swear I'll kill you," Sanzo hissed in his ear, before kissing him softly on the jaw. He looked up to Homura, and couldn't help but smirk at the dark look of jealousy that crossed the man's features.

A second later the look was gone, and the man was smiling. "So, you've found someone, good for you, Konzen." Homura headed down the steps, smiling his pathetic little smile down at the brown-haired boy. "And he's such a cute little kid too." Sanzo could hear the small growl in the boy's throat as Homura messed up his hair. "I guess I'll be seeing you later, Konzen," he said with a wave, before turning and heading down the street.

Sanzo waited until he was out of earshot, before sighing, and releasing the brunette. "What did you want?" Sanzo asked, his tone clipped and to the point.

Goku stood absolutely still for a moment, blinking while his mind tried to comprehend what just happened. Finally, he smiled, and followed Sanzo up the steps. "You were waiting for me?" he asked, his stomach bubbling with excitement.

Sanzo snorted. "As if," he remarked, pulling out his key and unlocking the door, stepping inside. Goku followed suit.

"Who was that man? He looked a little angry that you were…uh…" Goku trailed off, taking his shoes off and dropping his bag as if he lived in the house. Sanzo watched him, mildly amused.

"Just… an ex," Sanzo muttered. He wasn't sure why he told Goku that. He could've said Homura was still his lover, and it probably would've gotten rid of his brown-haired pest problem. But for some reason, he didn't want to drive the boy off. Not just yet. "So what do you want, anyway?" Sanzo snapped, as he headed through the small kitchen.

Goku froze, before smiling nervously. "I think I left my camera here. I mean, it was in my bag and then when I got home it was—"

"You're a shitty liar," Sanzo said curtly, causing Goku to flinch and hang his head. "What do you really want?"

Goku began to fidget, and Sanzo could see a tint of pink in his bronze skin. "I just… wanted to see you again," he muttered in defeat, before turning away and frowning. Though Sanzo could hardly call it a frown. With Goku's boyish face, it looked more like a pout. A pouting child. Sanzo shook his head.

"Then stop making up stupid excuses," Sanzo said sharply, before turning and heading towards the laptop he had propped up on the counter. "As long as you don't make much noise, I don't care what you do."

"You don't?" Goku added with a smirk, as he headed towards the blonde. Standing in front of him, he made sure to cut off any means of escape, pinning him up against the counter. He stood on his toes again, hating how much shorter he was then the blonde. "Then what if I were to kiss you again?"

Sanzo said nothing. Goku wasn't sure if his silence was a good thing or a bad thing, but found he didn't care. His face was masked with indifference. Goku hated not knowing what he was thinking, and it caused his stomach to twist in many different ways. It seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Instead, he simply became lost in Sanzo's violet eyes. No longer caring for the repercussions, he leaned up, and kissed the man, his arms somehow finding their way around the blonde's neck, fingering his hair softly. The kiss broke not long after, though Goku's lips simply hovered in front of Sanzo's, staring into those violet depths that looked nothing like his own.

They stayed like that for several minutes, and Goku could swear Sanzo could hear his heart pounding. "Tell me…" Sanzo finally said softly, his tone not holding as much of its usual roughness. "You're in love with me, aren't you?" Goku did not reply, and Sanzo didn't wait for one. "Why… why is it me? What about me is so desirable?"

Goku didn't reply for a moment, letting the silence in the house draw out for an amazing amount of time. "It's… your eyes, I suppose," Sanzo felt the words against his lips rather then heard them. A second later the pair were kissing again, though Sanzo couldn't say which one had initiated it.

Breaking apart for air, Sanzo managed to say a simple sentence, "I have work to do. You can stay if you don't say another word. Understand?"

Goku looked up at him, and nodded.

The rest of the night was silent.

* * *

**A/N: **Okay, I want to finish this fast, so as long as you guys review kindly, updates will only be a few days apart. But If I get sad then... no reviews for you. T.T Anyway, I can understand if you think Sanzo's a bit OOC when Homura showed up. But I coullnd't help but write that. Sanzo using Goku to piss of Homura is funny. Anyway, as usual, review and such. 


	3. What is your Priority?

**The Importance of Prioritizing**

**Chapter Three: What is your Priority?**

Goku had bounced into school that morning. He was grinning from ear to ear, unable to hold in his joy. He began rambling about anything and everything, just so he was able to talk. Nataku managed to sit quietly, patiently listening to everything Goku had to say. Finally, after what felt like forever, Nataku finally managed to get a word in, "You see Sanzo?" was all he said before Goku went on another spiel about the previous night.

"It was just so great, Nataku! But it was weird, and cool, and twisted and freaky and all twighlighty-zone all at once! It was… was… _explosive!_" Goku exclaimed as the pair headed down the hall towards their next class.

Nataku just chuckled softly. "You're really into him, eh?"

Goku just smileddevilishly, remembering back to the previous night. It felt like a dream. It wasn't like they did anything spectacular. They just sat, the TV on but muted. Goku didn't care. He spent most of the night trying to read over the man's shoulder. He seemed self-conscious about it, and kept batting him away. Goku didn't mind, as long as he knew the blonde wasn't really angry with him, he could take the little swats and insults that came every time he tried to read over the man's shoulder. He doubted that Sanzo could be nice about many things, and didn't want to push him.

"Move, ya pansy!" Goku was suddenly shoved from the side, causing his back to connect with nearby lockers and his books to go spiraling all over the floor. He grumbled at the small chuckles that rippled through the crowd, and bent down to pick them up, trying to ignore the men who stood around him, grinning. They were thugs. Stupid, moronic thugs. As he reached out to grab his binder, someone stepped on his hand, causing him to yelp.

"Leave him alone!" Nataku yelled suddenly, pushing his books to the floor, full and willing to start a fight in the hallway. "He didn't do anything!"

The commotion called the attention of a few surrounding students, and a nearby science teacher. "Hey!" he shouted over the whispers, causing eyes to flicker to him. "I don't want any trouble here. So break it up and move back to class."

There were a few grumbles, as the men who had shoved Goku dispersed and disappeared down the hall. Goku stood up, looking around for his lost notebook before it was shoved in his face. Looking up, he found himself staring into slanted red eyes. Kougaiji. Goku and Kou had been very good friends in elementary school. The three of them, Nataku, Goku and Kougaiji had been inseparable. Though problems and fights begun to arise between Nataku and Kou, and eventually Kougaiji broke off to find new friends. They just happened to be the people who picked on Goku all the time. Kougaiji was no exception.

Goku smiled, accepting his book. "Thanks Kou," he said with a grin.

Kougaiji didn't smile back, instead simply saying. "Next time, stay out of sight. Or else they might just break your hand." He then shoved Goku back into the locker, before turning and heading towards his class. Goku smirked slightly. They may not be friends anymore, but Kougaiji still looked out for him. Grimacing, Goku rubbed his shoulder. He just wished it didn't involve so much locker shoving.

"You okay, Goku?" Nataku asked, coming to stand next to him. "Those guys are just assholes."

"Eh, I'm used to it," Goku answered with a shrug, as they turned to head down the hallway.

"Well you shouldn't be used to it," Nataku snapped. "Neither of us should," he added lightly, running his fingers through his hair, wincing when he caught his hair tie. "Assholes pick on us because of the color of our eyes," he muttered, before half glaring at his friend. "But they pick on you more then me, want to know why?" he added sarcastically.

Goku just smiled, and shrugged. "'Cause I'm short?"

Nataku jabbed a finger in his shoulder. "Because _you_ don't fight back," he snapped. "I don't get why you don't. I've seen you fight. You could take them down in two seconds flat."

Goku sighed through his nose, turning towards their classroom and taking their seat in the back of the room. "That's the point, Nataku," he muttered softly, causing his friend to raise a brow in confusion. "I don't… I don't want to hurt them."

Slightly disturbed by what his friend said, Nataku said nothing more on the matter.

The rest of the day passed easily. Goku relished when his Foods course made its way around, but hated the fact that there would be a test soon. A slow-cook test. They would each get a meal that takes three hours or more to make, and had to cook it at home, bringing in a sample for their test. Goku felt like groaning aloud. He hated slow-cook. It was his weak spot.

Despite that the day carried on a tediously as it always did. When the bell finally rang, the pair of boys headed outside, laughing and talking about something interesting that had happened during the day. Goku had spotted Kougaiji and his friends loitering in the halls, seemingly waiting for something. Goku did not want to take any chance, so he and Nataku took the long way to their lockers.

As they headed outside, Goku thought he was in the clear. But when a hand clamped down on his shoulder, spinning him around, he knew he was in trouble. It was one of Kougaiji's friends, Jirio. The man was the classic football jock, with only enough brains to pick out which kid would be his next bully victim. Goku squeaked involuntarily at the sight of him, all the while hating himself for it.

That was when someone stepped up next to him. Goku glanced to the side, and grinned. "Excuse me," said a cool, deep voice. It caused the group of seniors to glance towards it. A pair of violet eyes narrowed, causing the small group of men to grow nervous. "But I have business with this particular idiot. So hand him over. I'll return him later." Sanzo flicked the ash from his cigarette, placing it back in his mouth and taking a deep drag, daring any of them to make a move.

Jirio seemed unsure, but the look in Sanzo's eyes made them back off. Releasing Goku, the group turned, all but disappearing, heading towards their cars. Goku let out a mental breath, before turning to his savior. "Sanzo," he said, looking the man up and down to make sure he was actually real. "What are you doing here?"

Sanzo jabbed his thumb in the direction of his car. "Figured you'd want a ride home," he said simply, before taking in one final drag of his cigarette, crushing the butt beneath his boot. "Besides, I need to talk to you."

"_Sanzo wants to talk to me…" _He felt like a giddy schoolgirl. Turning towards Nataku, he found his ebony-haired friend was smiling softly in amusement. "Can you give Nataku a ride to?" he asked, relishing in this uncanny moment of kindness Sanzo was offering.

"No. Your friend can find his own way home," Sanzo said sharply, turning towards his car.

"Sanzo," the brunette whined. "That's not very nice."

"Shove it or walk home."

Nataku smiled, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Its fine Goku, I need to get some things done anyway. You go have fun with your _boyfriend_." He grinned at the blush that set in Goku's bronze face. He then winked. "Make sure to call me and tell me all about it."

"Will do," Goku said with a grin, as he turned to follow the blonde. The pair settled into the old run down car, as Sanzo started it. Taking his time to light another cigarette, he rolled down the window, before taking the time to drive out of the parking lot, and head down the street. Goku found the silence suffocating. There wasn't even music to break the tension. Just the sound of the wind whipping in and out of the window as they drive on.

After Goku had enough of it, he finally turned to the writer and exclaimed, "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" just a little too loud.

Sanzo frowned, but did not answer him right away, taking the time to enjoy his cigarette before tossing the butt out the window. "You're an annoying little brat and I want you to stay the hell away from me," he snapped, causing Goku's nervous smile to be replaced with a look of hurt.

"O…oh…" Goku was able to mumble, turning to face away from the man. He knew that anyone would be able to read him like an open book, and at the moment, he didn't want Sanzo to see the hurt and sadness dancing in his eyes. He knew those violet pools could peer deep into his soul.

"But…" Sanzo continued, causing Goku to look up in confusion. "I'll admit you're useful. So… it wouldn't be a total pain if you decided to drop by every once in a while."

Goku blinked. Then he blinked again. Was Sanzo… really saying it was okay if they were together? Or even more, if they were a couple? Goku doubted that the man would go that far, but then it was difficult to tell with him. Brushing off the man's earlier insult, he grinned. "So what, we're dating now?" he asked, bouncing up and down in his seat.

Sanzo scoffed. "As if, moron."

"C'mon," Goku whined playfully. "You said you wanted me around. Does that mean you like me?"

"No."

"Not even a little?"

"No. Piss off." Goku pouted, sticking his lower lip out and blinking up at the blonde. Sanzo spared him a glance, and snorted. "Don't do that. You look like an even bigger idiot."

Sanzo finally parked the car, turning it off, though Goku failed to notice. He was still trying to get Sanzo to admit they were a couple, even if they weren't. "C'mon Sanzo. What are we then? Why can't—"

The blonde rolled his eyes, leaning down and capturing Goku's lips in a kiss. Goku's eyes rolled back in his head, as he kissed the man back, sliding his mouth open and allowing the man to dominate him in every sense of the word. Goku's hands fell to Sanzo's chest, at first to stable himself, before his curious hands began to roam across Sanzo's clothed chest, suddenly aching to feel the man's muscles beneath his fingers. All too soon the kiss broke, though Goku's eyes were still laced with lust, and he leaned towards the man, wanting to continue what they had started. "Does that answer your question?" Sanzo hissed his hand still under Goku's chin. When it had wound up there, Goku couldn't say, though the pressure he was exerting was keeping him from furthering their lip lock.

"Uh huh," Goku slurred, though he'd already forgotten the question.

"Good," Sanzo replied, before opening the door and stepping out. Goku blinked out of his lust-induced stupor, stepping out of the car. He realized that they were parked outside Sanzo's house. He frowned.

"You said you were taking me home," Goku pouted, grabbing his bag and heading after the blonde.

"So?"

"So," the brunette drew out, rolling his eyes. "This is not my house."

"So I lied," Sanzo said, unlocking the door and stepping inside. "Sue me."

"But I have homework," Goku complained, but followed the man inside anyway, dropping his backpack on the floor. "And I have a test I need to get—" Goku's sentence cut short, and he blinked. "Hey Sanzo, mind if I cook you dinner tonight?"

Sanzo stared at him critically. "As long as you don't blow up my kitchen."

Goku grinned, hurrying off into the kitchen while Sanzo took his usual spot on the couch, pulling his laptop forward and turning the thing on. Pulling his cell phone from his pocket, he turned it on to discover his aunt had left him nine more messages. Looked like she was still angry with him. Go figure. "Sanzo!" Goku whined from the kitchen. "It looks like you've never cleaned this place once!"

"Its 'cause I haven't," Sanzo tossed back, settling into the sofa, turning on the TV but muting it immediately after. He only liked to glance up every once in a while, whilst writing. He didn't need all the damned white noise.

Sanzo hadn't realized how late it had gotten. He'd relaxed completely, allowing his mind to be absorbed by the world he was painting, listening to Goku hum softly as he moved about the kitchen, cleaning up and cooking. Goku had broken his concentration when he suddenly shoved a spoon in his face. Sanzo blinked, looking up and wondering what the hell the man wanted now. "Taste this," was all he offered for an explanation before shoving the spoon in his mouth.

Sanzo frowned, allowing the taste to settle on his tongue. "Too sweet," he said finally.

Goku seemed thoughtful, nodding. "I thought so too…" he muttered, before returning to the kitchen to fix some mistake he'd made.

In another hour, dinner was ready. Sanzo almost rejoiced, as he realized how hungry he became. He took a seat at the table, glancing at the roast Goku had cooked. Next to that were some vegetables, the gravy he'd tried earlier, and beer Goku had the courtesy to get from the fridge. He took a seat, unease suddenly settling into his stomach. Glancing up at the grinning brunette, he suddenly wondered how much of his food he could actually trust. "Try it, try it," Goku encouraged, practically shoving him into his spot at the table, before sitting across from him, smiling all the way.

Sanzo seemed reluctant, but none the less reached out, slicing a few pieces of the roast, before getting some vegetables. He even dared to try the gravy Goku had made. He watched the young man get his own share, before trying it. It was good. Better then good, half-decent. Goku wasn't so bad at cooking. He continued eating, watching Goku's eyes trained on him the whole time. After he was finished, Goku was all over him. "Well?" he exclaimed happily. "How was it? Did you like it?"

Sanzo frowned a moment, thinking. "Your roast was over spiced, your gravy was still too sweet, and your vegetables were overcooked." Rising to his feet, Sanzo headed towards the living room again. "But… it wasn't horrible." Goku's eyes brightened at his words. "There could be some use for your after all."

Cheerfully, the boy turned to clean up what was left of dinner. It only took a few minutes, and once he was done he turned back to the couch. Leaning on the edge, he attempted to read over the man's shoulder again, when the screen suddenly flipped shut. Violet eyes peered at him under reading glasses. "You mind?" he snapped.

"C'mon, I wanna read. I really like what youwrite. It's interesting," Goku argued back.

"If you want to read it, then go to a store and buy it like everyone else," he snapped.

"But I'm bored."

"Not my problem. Go home."

"No," Goku whined, nuzzling his chin into Sanzo's shoulder. "Entertain me."

Rolling his eyes, Sanzo saved what he'd written, before placing the laptop on the counter once again. He wasn't going to get any further that night anyway. "If I do will you shut the hell up?" Goku nodded vigorously, and Sanzo smirked. Grasping the boy by the back of his neck, he pulled him in for a deep, passionate kiss. Goku all but succumbed to the kiss, crawling into Sanzo's lap, letting his hands roam over the writer's chest, moving up and resting around his neck, fingers twirling in his hair. Sanzo broke away just too soon, and Goku swore he was enjoying his game. "Satisfied?" he whispered.

Golden eyes narrowed skeptically. "You know I'm not."

Goku suddenly found himself pinned under Sanzo's weight, violet eyes peering down at him hazily. A smirk tugged on the blonde's lips. It made Goku's heart jump. "I better not hear you whine for a week for this," he hissed, before capturing his mouth in another kiss.

Goku felt himself melting at the man's expert touch. He would've been enjoying it even more, had a spring from the couch not been digging into his back. He broke the kiss, shifting uncomfortably. "Sanzo..."

"What?" the blonde snapped, annoyance at being denied.

"Your couch is really uncomfortable," the boy whined.

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "Anyone ever tell you, you whine a lot?" he hissed, before grabbing the boy by the collar of the shirt and lifting him from the couch. Sanzo kissed him again, and Goku could feel his insides melting. They stumbled about, as Sanzo tried to lead him somewhere but Goku was unwilling to break their connection. Sanzo broke the kiss suddenly, only to shove the boy backwards. Goku landed on a bed, and realized they'd somehow made it down the hall to Sanzo's room. He didn't have much more time to dwell on it before Sanzo was kissing him again, hands everywhere, probing and poking every spot on Goku's chest. Their connection broke for a moment as the material of Goku's shirt slid between them, before it was tossed over his head and lost on the ground somewhere.

Goku's conscious was trying to remind him he was about to have sex with someone he'd only met a week before. He barely knew anything about this man, and here he was, in his house, with his lips being crushed and feeling his pants being undone. But somehow, Goku found he didn't care. Maybe it was just the hormones blocking out his common sense, or maybe it was Sanzo's tongue that caused his mind to go blank. Whatever it was, he'd deal with it later.

He felt Sanzo kiss down his bare chest and Goku let out a low groan, fingers threading in Sanzo's blonde hair. "You'd better be my… lover for this," he muttered.

Sanzo stopped his kissing to move back up to the boy's mouth. As Sanzo's hands trailed downward, Goku could feel his breath hitch. "Shut up," Sanzo hissed. "You're so damn noisy." And then he captured Goku's lips in another bruising kiss.

---

Goku's mother had been fairly angry that he'd spent the entire night out without calling. Goku could only shrug, lying that he'd been at Nataku's, before leaving it at that. He was late for work, anyway. He'd hurried out the door that morning, heading down the street while rummaging through his bag, trying to make sure he didn't forget anything. He was heading for the train when a car pulled up next to him, and honked. Goku looked up, surprised to see the same dark-haired man that Sanzo had been so annoyed at. The man raised his sunglasses, winking one of his mismatched eyes at him. "Hey cutie," the man said. "Need a ride?"

Goku had been reluctant to say yes, but at the same time he knew if he didn't he was going to be late. So, reluctantly, he headed towards the black car. "Uh, do you know where I'm heading?" Goku asked rather awkwardly.

"Sure I do," the man replied cheerfully. "You're heading to Konzen's favorite restaurant. I'll give you a lift. I was heading there anyway."

Goku was still uneasy, but opened the door and slid in. As soon as the door closed, the man stepped on the gas and they sped off. "You're Goku, aren't you? Konzen's play thing?"

Goku stared at the man warily. "Yes. And you are?"

The man chuckled airily. "Name's Homura. Used to be Konzen's old plaything. But… he tossed me out."

"Uh huh…" Goku said, with a skeptical nod. He was still unsure about this man. Something about him set off warning signals in his head. Then again, you really couldn't judge a book by its cover.

The ride was short, so luckily Goku didn't have to sit with Homura very long. The man just kept babbling on, and Goku smiled politely, nodding occasionally. Finally, they pulled up in front of the restaurant, and Goku happily got out. "Thanks for the ride," he said.

"No problem," Homura replied. "I actually enjoyed talking to you. Mind if I catch you later?"

"Sure…" Goku replied slowly, reluctantly.

The man winked, before he was off, heading down the street. Goku watched him go for a moment, before turning and heading inside. The place was already alive with people who were ordering lunch. Goku still felt uneasy about that man. Not only did Sanzo not like him, but also there was an air about him that Goku didn't like either. It was like everything he did was just a farce.

Besides, Goku thought with a snort. He wasn't a very good liar either. He hadn't even bothered to step inside for a moment to act like he'd actually been heading there in the first place.

* * *

**A/N:** Yay! Another chapter done! Isn't it pretty everyone? You can thank EoS for going through and making sure I don't look like a complete idiot while I write. (laughs nervously) Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed this, and I can't wait 'till next chapter! It's definitely my favorite chapter so far! See yah for now! 


	4. Your Number One Majority?

**The Importance of Prioritizing**

**Chapter Four: Your Number One Majority?**

Goku waited by the fence that morning for his friend to show up, glancing down the sidewalks and the roads, expecting to see the young man heading towards him. They did this every morning, though normally, they met beforehand, and took the train together. But for some reason Goku had not been able to contact Nataku at all, and whenever the pair missed each other, they would wait by the fence near the school, so they could spend a few minutes together before class began.

Goku was starting to grow uneasy as he pulled out his cell phone for the seventh time that morning, dialing Nataku's number without flaw. No luck. Nataku still had his phone turned off. Cursing, Goku hung up. What was going on? It was never this hard to get a hold of him. Goku was starting to worry.

A figure appeared down the street, and Goku immediately recognized Nataku's jacket. Grinning, he headed up to meet him. "Nataku!" he cried once in range. "Nataku, is something wrong?" The enthusiasm in his tone faded when he spotted the boy had his hood up, his head dipped down.

"Uh…" Nataku shifted from foot to foot, growing uneasy. "It's nothing really to worry about, Goku."

"Nataku," Goku said, eyes wide and stuck to the boy in front of him. "What happened?"

Lifting his head, Goku caught sight of the large black eye that ran around the boy's left eye, and the large bruise that sat on his right cheek. There was a bandage on his forehead, and little cuts scattered around his face. Goku's heart twisted painfully. "What happened?" he cried, grabbing the boy's hands and pulling up his sleeves, looking for any other injuries. Unfortunately, he found many more.

"Uh…" Nataku looked unsure, nervous even. That was strange for him. Normally, Nataku never let anything get to him. "It's… really nothing Goku."

He attempted to pull away, but Goku held his hands tight. His hands were covered in bandages, and one of his fingers was splinted. Goku was gentle, despite his anger. "It was Jirio and Kougaiji, wasn't it?" he growled.

Nataku sighed, nodding. "Yeah… But I don't want you getting any ideas! It wasn't that bad, really!"

Goku jabbed his finger into the boy's ribs, and Nataku let out an undignified yelp. "Wasn't that bad?" Goku practically yelled back. "Look at you Nataku! They broke one of your fingers for Christ's sake!" It was the worst beating Goku had seen yet. Until now, they had managed to escape with nothing more then a few bruises. Though it looked like this time they'd gone overboard. "You shouldn't even be here. You should be home."

"Tell that to my father," Nataku muttered as they turned to head slowly towards school. "He says that I should be able to tough out a few bruises and go to school anyway." Goku had to admit, in all the time he'd known the boy Nataku had never known the joys of a sick day.

"A few?" Goku snorted. "Hell, you look like one giant purple mark."

Nataku chuckled softly. "Yeah. I do, don't I?" The boys laughed, though it was a dry, forced laugh meant to cheer the other up. They soon fell silent. "Goku," Nataku said after a moment. "I don't want you to do anything stupid, okay?"

Goku shot him a cheeky grin. "C'mon Nataku, I know better then that."

---

Goku knew exactly where Kougaiji and his friends hung out.

Directly after school, he waved goodbye to his friend, glad to have his father pick him up for once. It was good that he was showing a bit of caring, even if it was just a bit. The second the car was out of view, Goku's expression hardened as he turned towards thesenior'shang out. He headed directly towards the old playground three blocks away from school. He knew that they liked to hang out there, where it was conveniently close to the gas station, where they could buy snacks and smokes. It was a dirty, grungy little place that hadn't seen children in over five years.

As he approached the park, he realized Kougaiji was missing from the picture. There were five guys in all, sitting around and laughing with each other. Whatever, they wouldn't be laughing long. They crossed the line, and Goku wanted to make sure they paid for it.

"Well, well, well," came the coo of Jirio as he approached. "Look what we have here. A brat is meddling in our affairs. Maybe we should squash the little pipsqueak."

Goku just glared, stopped just a few feet away from them.

"Yeah," cheered another senior. "I wonder what would happen if we snapped all ten of this guy's fingers, eh?" he laughed.

That was it. Goku snapped.

He lashed out at the first unsuspecting soul that happened to be standing too close. A quick punch to the face, then a quick turn around before nailing a kick right across his chest. The man didn't even have time to cry out before he was knocked back into the metal playground. His head cracked against the metal bar, and he crumpled to the ground like a used doll. The surrounding men gaped, open-mouthed at what they just witnessed. Goku wasn't kidding around. Cracking his knuckles, he glared. Suddenly, his bright, child-like demeanor was gone, and his other personality was showing through. The one he never liked to show anyone. The one not even Nataku had seen.

As a child, Goku had always had problems making friends. So he made an invisible friend, like most children his age. Though what had not been so normal was when this "invisible" friend began to grow itsown mind. It's own characteristics, and it's own place within Goku's mind. It was a brutal side that liked to fight, dominate, and make sure his enemies never got up. The last time he'd let go, and his other side began to rear its ugly head, the poor kid he was fighting wound up in the hospital for a few months.

He'd been diagnosed with Multiple Personality Disorder, and had to take pills to keep his head level for several years. But as Goku began to grow older, he'd had a better grip over himself, and didn't need to take them. It was only around the scent of a fight that his control would slip.

And he just lost it.

He charged forwards, kicking the first person he saw right to the jaw. Once he was sure the man was down, he punched him across the face. He heard a crack and watched blood soak into his knuckles as he broke a nose. He laughed, shoving his foot into the man's chest and listening to the ribs crack.

"Holy shit!" one of the men behind him yelled. "He's going to fucking kill him!"

The next second the three remaining men were on him. Two grasped him by the arms before Goku could throw them off. Jirio quickly stood in front of him, slamming a punch to his stomach. Goku could see spots. Several more hits, and Goku knew he was going to break something. Another punch, this time to his face. His lip split, and blood poured down the side of his face. Another punch. Then another, and he began to laugh. Jirio backed off suddenly, confused at his insane chuckling. Goku, or whoever he was, continued to laugh, spitting the blood from his mouth. He glared Jirio down, daring him to try anything.

The next second Goku turned, and the man on his right screamed at the sudden broken wrist, dropping to the ground. Using his sudden leverage to his advantage, he flipped around, slamming a hard kick to the other man's face. He was dropped, and lunched out to attack.

He tackled the man to the ground, grinning what the man's head cracked on the cement. Concussion. No doubt. That thought only riled up his excitement as he smashed the man's head down again and again, grinning at the blood.

Deciding to leave him, Goku stood, loving the blood cloaking his fingers. Turning, he glared Jirio down. The senior was scared, absolutely terrified. He'd dropped to the ground, staring up as Goku approached slowly, taunting him. It was a game of cat and mouse, one Jirio was losing.

Just as he was about to pounce, someone tackled him from behind. He was shoved to the ground, rocks digging into his face as he let out a growl at whoever decided to disrupt his play. "Goku!" shouted a familiar voice as he began to wiggle. "Snap out of it!"

He was turned over, and Goku found himself looking up into slanted red eyes. Kougaiji. The man was glaring down at him, trying to calm him. But Goku would have none of that. He managed to get one of his legs free, and rammed it up into the man's stomach. Kougaiji's grip loosened, and Goku managed to buck him off. Reversing their positions, Goku pinned the man to the ground, raising his fist to strike the man across the face. He frowned at the calm expression Kougaiji wore.

"Are you going to put me in the hospital again, Goku?"

Goku froze, and suddenly memories danced before his eyes. He remembered back when they were younger, Kougaiji and Goku had gone out together, only to run into a pair of bullies who wanted to pick on him. Kougaiji drove them off, but got a broken nose in the process. Goku remembered the scent of blood overpowering his hypersensitive nose, and then remembered punching Kougaiji endlessly, laughing. He remembered the hospital, sobbing endlessly as he apologized over and over. He hadn't even wanted to leave the hospital. He kicked and screamed when they tried to take him away. And when Kougaiji woke up from the three-week coma he'd landed himself in, Goku had sobbed brokenly, begging for forgiveness. Kougaiji just smiled softly, and forgave him.

Control began to seep into Goku's golden eyes, and Kougaiji recognized it immediately. Goku looked down to his hands, finding them splattered with blood. Looking back up to Kougaiji, the redhead could see the terror that set into his eyes. Kougaiji sat up, wrapping his arms around the brunet as he began to sob wretchedly into his chest. Kougaiji glanced back up to the area. Goku did a number, but it didn't look like any of them were in critical condition, save for the man who Goku had beat into the sidewalk. Kou's red eyes glanced up to Jirio, who still sat, frozen in fear. "What the hell are you waiting for!?" he yelled. "Call a fucking ambulance!"

Goku was still sobbing, clutching Kougaiji when the ambulance came. He refused to let the man go. He didn't want to let go, because he knew when he did, he'd be back in the mental institute at the hospital. He didn't want to go back. Didn't want to sit n the white room while the men inspected him like a lab rat. The four seniors had been placed in the truck, and had been driven off. The police had arrived too, and they approached Kougaiji and Jirio, leaving the broken Goku to cry and clutch at Kougaiji's shirt like a child. A lost, lonely child.

"What happened here?" one of the men asked.

Kougaiji stayed silent, looking to Jirio for the explanation. Even Goku's sobs had stopped, just to listen to Jirio's reply. Jirio looked at Goku, then at Kougaiji, then back at the police. "It was an accident," Jirio replied.

"An accident?" the cop echoed. "How so?"

"We meddled with a nearby street gang by accident. We didn't realize they would retaliate," the cop nodded at the explanation.

"All right. We'll need you to come down to the station for some descriptions." Jirio nodded, getting to his feet.

"Jirio…" Kougaiji breathed, a silent thank you.

Jirio turned, gave a smirk, ruffled Goku's hair and then turned, walking away with the police. Kougaiji let out a shaky sigh, turning back to the boy in his arms. "C'mon," he muttered, shaking him softly. "I'll give you a ride home."

Goku nodded, but said nothing as he got to his feet, detaching himself from Kougaiji's shirt. He'd managed to stop crying, but there were still stains running down his face. Mixing with the blood from his lip and the bruises that were just starting to set in. The pair slid into Kougaiji's car. It was silent as he started the engine and headed down the road. "I don't want to go home," Goku admitted softly, wiping the blood off from under his chin. Kougaiji glanced at him, but said nothing. "Can you take me to a… friend's house?"

Kougaiji nodded. "Sure." Then it was silent again.

After several turns and stops, Goku spoke again. His voice was soft, haunted. "I'm sorry."

"You barely touched me," Kougaiji assured. "It didn't hurt."

"For everything," Goku muttered. Kougaiji spared him a side-ways glance, surprised to find the boy trying to wipe the drying blood from his hands. He turned his eyes back to the road, pursing his lips.

"I've told you before," Kougaiji breathed softly. "I forgive you."

They turned onto the street, and Goku pointed out the house as Kougaiji silently pulled up next to it. Goku turned to him again, nodding softly. "Thanks Kou," he whispered, reaching for the handle.

"Goku," the brunette turned back to him, blinking at the solemn expression on his face. "I never intended for Nataku to get hurt. I didn't even know what the guys were planning until it was too late. So… I'm sorry."

Goku let a small smile catch his lips. "It's all right. I trust you, Kou." He then closed the door, watching the man drive off before turning back to the door. His hand lingered, unsure, before he finally rang the doorbell. He heard the scuffling of feet before the lock clicked and the door opened. Sanzo stared down at him, analyzing him critically before pulling the cigarette from his mouth and throwing it to the ground. "What happened?" he demanded quietly.

Goku felt like crying all over again, this time in relief. Just to see Sanzo again made him melt. He wanted to throw himself into the man's arms, crying and wailing and pleading for him to make everything okay again. Guilt was restricting his throat again, making it difficult to breath. The sight of those crumpled men made him want to roll over and die. Instead, he smiled sadly and looked up at the man. "Can I come in?" he whispered hoarsely.

Sanzo stepped aside, and the boy stumbled in. He pulled off his shoes, peeled his bloodied jacket from his chest and letting it fall to the floor with a thud. In a normal situation, Sanzo would have scolded him for leaving his things on the floor. But he could plainly see something was very, very wrong.

Goku couldn't stop the tears from pouring down the sides of his face as he pulled Sanzo into a hug. He clutched the man's chest tightly, burying his face in all the comfort the blonde could offer. He felt like a child again. Back when he had no real friends and his parents often left him alone. He was always so needy back then. Clinging to anyone who would care for him, never letting them go. And at the moment, he didn't want to let Sanzo go. Sanzo sighed, placing a hand on his head. "C'mon, you're a complete and total bloody mess," Goku just clung to him tighter, trying to stiffen his sobs. "Don't make me drag you to the bathroom." Despite his words, when Goku showed no signs of releasing him or moving, he turned, half-leading, half-dragging Goku into the bathroom.

Sanzo was finding it difficult to peel Goku's clothes from his body when Goku refused to let him go for even a second. After Sanzo had enough, he simply pulled the boy into the shower, clothes and all, and turned on the water. Goku squeaked at the sudden coldness as the water rained down on them. It slowly warmed up, and Goku allowed his grip to loosen, looking up to the blonde above him. Violet eyes were peering down at him, and Goku could feel his breath hitch. "Whatever happened, it doesn't matter," he muttered truthfully. "Tell me, or don't. I don't care."

Goku could feel a new round of tears pouring down his face, mingling with the warm water and disappearing down the drain. "Sanzo…" the boy whispered, his voice cracking. He leaned up, pressing his lips to the blonde's in a desperate act of comfort. The man replied with equal intensity. The kiss broke, and Goku buried his face in the man's neck. More tears fell from his eyes. Tears Goku hated shedding. "I… I almost killed someone. I can… can't believe I…" the boy hiccupped. "I hate myself… Sanzo…"

Sanzo sighed softly, running his fingers through the boy's gritty hair. "Well don't," he muttered softly, causing Goku to pause, clinging to the man's words like a lifeline. "Because I have a feeling cheering you up again is going to be a pain." Smiling softly, Goku kissed the man again. Sanzo bent down, shoving the shampoo bottle in his hands. "Here. Now wash up. I'm going to dry off," he turned to leave, when Goku grabbed his wrist and pulled him back.

"Where do you think you're going?" Goku asked, a sly mile playing on his lips.

Sanzo rolled his eyes. "What are you? A monkey in heat?" he snapped, before turning back and snatching the shampoo bottle from his hands. Goku was about to ask what he was doing, before Sanzo threaded his fingers in his hair, massaging the shampoo into his scalp. Goku leaned back against him, all but melting into his touch. He closed his eyes as Sano rinsed his hair, letting the man all but wash him completely. "Sanzo?" he breathed after a while.

"Mm?"

"Can I stay here tonight?" he whispered, prying his eyes open and turning to take in the man's expression. Despite looking into the man's eyes, Goku found he once again could not read what he was thinking. It irked him to know that Sanzo probably knew his every thought, just by peering into his eyes.

"Sure," Sanzo said, returning to massaging the conditioner in the boy's hair. "As long as you don't get in the way of my work," he added in a gruffer tone.

Goku smiled, closing his eyes. "I promise I won't."

Despite his promise, Goku and Sanzo wound up on the couch that evening. Goku was snuggled into Sanzo's chest, his arms wrapped around his mid-section. Sanzo had attempted to write, but seemed to have been struck by writer's block and ended up giving up as the two settled in to watch a movie. The movie had somehow wound up on mute, and the pair simply watched the figures move across the screen without any knowledge of what was going on. Goku didn't care. He was on the verge of falling asleep, and doubted he'd be able to follow the plot even if the sound was on.

"Sanzo…?" he drawled on lazily, eyes sliding shut.

"What?" came Sanzo's sharp reply.

Goku thought for a moment, wondering if what he had to say was important. Finally brushing it off, he snuggled closer. "Never mind…"

"Don't talk if you don't have anything to say, idiot," Sanzo scolded lightly, though there was no bite behind his words.

"Mmhmm," Goku mumbled out unintelligibly, before finally drifting off into slumber. Sanzo watched the boy drift off to sleep, placing a hand on his newly dried hair. Letting out a soft sight, he gathered the boy up in his arms, and headed for the bedroom. There was barely enough room on his couch for one person, let alone two. Gently, he set the boy down, watching as he squirmed in search of his source of warmth. Sanzo was about to turn and head back towards his couch, when he heard Goku let out a sigh, a soft word passing between his lips. "…Sanzo…" Guilt tugging on his heartstrings, he turned, slipping into the bed with the boy, watching as Goku squirmed towards him, clutching loosely at his shirt.

Sanzo watched him drift into a deeper state of unconsciousness, before running a hand through his hair. "What am I getting myself into…?"

---

Several days passed and Goku relished in his time with Sanzo. The writer seemed to allow him to spend time at his house, but hadn't shied away from kicking him out once or twice when writing in his presence became too much of a hassle, Goku didn't mind. It was all fair, as every night Goku found himself cooking dinner for the blond. He was glad he was able to do something that Sanzo could enjoy, besides those that occurred behind closed doors. Goku had to suppress a snicker.

He was glad to see four of the five guys from Jirio's group were back at school within a few days. The only one who had yet to return was the man Goku had beaten into the sidewalk. He had a slight concussion, but was fine. Goku was more then relieved when Kougaiji told him, and felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He had slight memory loss and couldn't remember the week previous the fight, but was talking normally and was said he was going to make a full recovery. Goku felt like crying from the relief. Instead, he merely thanked Kougaiji for the news. Kou knew how much it meant to him, but didn't say anything.

"Did you get the science test today?" Goku asked as he and Nataku headed towards the train station after school. His brow furrowed in annoyance as he recalled the questions.

Nataku gave him a side-glance, studying the bruises that Goku had yet to explain to him. "Of course I did. It was just Chemistry."

Goku pouted. "Of course you would get it," he whined. As they approached the platform, Goku caught sight of a tall, dark haired man clad in a long black coat. He frowned as they drew closer. Didn't he know…?

"Goku?" the man called, pulling up his glasses and giving a confident smile. "Ah, I thought I recognized you."

"Hey Homura," Gou replied as the pair came to stand next to him. "What are you doing here?"

Homura shrugged, smiling softly. "Just heading to the arcade. The little kid in me likes to be appeased every once in a while," Homura's smile broadened. "Wanna come? I've got enough money for more then just myself."

"Why not?" Nataku asked with a grin, turning to look at Goku, before turning back to Homura. "What kind of games do you like, Homura?"

Said man shrugged. "I don't know. I'm a fan of all of them. But… _House of the Dead II _has got to be my favorite."

Goku's eyes snapped to he dark haired man, brows rose in surprise. "You like _House of the Dead II_? That's my _favorite_ game!"

Homura smiled. "Really then? Feel like going?"

Goku turned to Nataku, and the young man shrugged. Turning back to him, Goku offered a smile. "Sure. We'd love to."

The three of them took the train to the arcade. Goku and Homura spent a lot of time talking, and the pair got to know a lot about each other. Not once though did their conversation stray to Sanzo. The three of them headed to the arcade, and time seemed to fly by. Nataku and Goku spent some time on the DDR game. The pair invited Homura, but the man stated that he could not dance, no matter how many times Goku explained that it took no real skill. Goku and Homura spent almost all their money on _House of the Dead II_. Goku won, and Homura laughed, saying they should have a rematch again sometime.

The three of them stayed out late, until finally they headed back towards the train station, laughing about some joke Nataku had told. They waited together, chatting away before Homura's train pulled up. He turned to the pair, saluting. "Well then, I shall be off. See you again soon, Nataku… Goku," he winked, stepping off to head towards the train.

Goku and Nataku's train pulled up, and the pair stepped inside, taking a seat. Goku leaned back, staring up at the ceiling with interest while Nataku frowned, lost in thought. "I'm not the best at this sort of stuff…" Nataku muttered softly, causing Goku to turn towards him. "But if you ask me… I think Homura was hitting on you."

At this, Goku stared at him. His brows furrowed in the perfect look of shock and confusion. "What?" he cried. "Homura? No way. Last I checked he was still all hung up over Sanzo."

Nataku just shrugged, smirking in an all-knowing way. "You know him better then I do."

Goku frowned, turning back to watch the world pass him by. Homura didn't like him. He was just being nice.

…Wasn't he?

* * *

**A/N: **And Seiten Taisei makes his appearance in yet another story of mine. He's so cute. Like a rabid bunny! Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed, this is definitely my favorite chapter so far. Please review, and tell me your thoughts. Love yah all. 


	5. Make it me, for your own Sake

**The Importance of Prioritizing **

**Chapter Five: Make it me, for your own Sake. **

Goku couldn't believe how much fun he was having with Homura. The man took him to the arcade, took them bowling, and everything else a kid would. He was like one twenty-five year old kid who didn't want to grow up. Goku, Homura and Nataku had gone out together almost every day after school. Though gradually Nataku had begun to slip from the group when his father became too demanding of his schoolwork. Goku didn't mind hanging out with the older man, and didn't even think about Sanzo's detest towards him.

The two of them had not spoken once of Sanzo or relationships in all the time they spent together. Goku liked it that way. He had to admit he was curious as to why Homura and Sanzo broke up, and about Sanzo's clear distrust towards the man, but didn't bother to ask. He was enjoying their time together far too much to ruin it over something that happened between his friend and his boyfriend.

It was one afternoon the pair was seated at the movie theater after watching a horror flick that Homura finally brought up Sanzo. The pair had decided to spend the remainder of their time and money in the game section, but Goku had insisted on snacks beforehand, as his stomach gave out a pitiful growl. As he brought the goodies back to the table, and dug into the nachos, Homura spoke, "So," he said slowly, picking at the nachos. "How is it with going with you and Sanzo?"

Goku nearly chocked on his nacho. After managing to down it with a swig of pop, he cried out, "What?"

"You and Sanzo," Homura replied with a carefree shrug. "If you don't want to answer, you don't have to. I was just wondering."

"We're great, actually," Goku answered with a shrug, as he began poking at the nachos again.

"You're happy?" Homura asked, playing with his straw.

"Yeah," Goku replied with a smile and a nod. His gaze trailed down to the table, as he studied the lines in the wood. "I am."

"Okay," Homura said with a smile, leaning back and studying the brunet. His eyes were clouded with devilish intent, a look Goku missed. "And your restaurant deal how is that going for you?"

"Okay," Goku said with a shrug. "But sometimes I wish they'd put me on more then just dish duty, you know?"

Homura nodded in silent understanding. He seemed thoughtful for a moment, before snapping his fingers. "I know!" he said suddenly, a bright smile lighting his features. "Why don't you come to Chicago with me?" Goku shot him a confused look, and Homura chuckled, hurrying to clarify. "You see, I work for a marketing agency, so I know my way around the city. A friend of mine owns a five star restaurant, and I was thinking if you'd like, you could come to Chicago with me and I could have you train under a real, five star chef. What do you think?"

Goku's eyes widened to impossible diameters. "Are you serious?" he exclaimed. "No joke?"

"No joke," Homura replied with a soft, confident smile.

"Wow," Goku exclaimed, eyes dancing with delight and awe; however he excitement slowly began to fade from his features. "I'd love to Homura, but I can't. This is my home, and I don't think I'd be able to drop everything so easily."

Homura nodded in understanding. "That's fine, I understand. Though my offer still stands, if you change your mind."

Goku smiled politely in return, turning his attention back to the nachos, as he began picking at them once again. Moving to Chicago. The idea began to stir in his mind as he poked at the cheese on the plate. It was a wild idea, but Goku had no intention of leaving Sanzo so soon, especially not after how great everything was turning out. As his thoughts turned to Sanzo, his eyes trailed back up to Homura. How could Sanzo hate this man so much? Homura seemed like such a nice guy, and had always done nothing but help him. So, as his curiosity began to become too much for him… "Hey…" Goku said softly, catching Homura's attention. "What happened between you and Sanzo anyway? Why does he hate you so much?"

"Oh, that," Homura said with a chuckle, as he took a drink from his pop. "It was a bit of a mess, if I do say so myself." He paused. "Sanzo and I were… fairly happy together, if you ask me. But Sanzo's a very jealous person, and I used to work with a lot of different people in New York's marketing business before moving to Chicago. I was surrounded by people who adored me. Sanzo grew jealous and paranoid thoughts began brewing. Before I knew it we were fighting and yelling and the next second it was all over." He shrugged. "Though as I recall the break up ended with my own black eye and several bruises to Sanzo's ribs."

Goku bit his lip as Homura finished his story. "I'm sorry," he muttered. Though he wondered idly on what Sanzo thought of the whole break up. Did he think he'd been paranoid and jealous? He was suddenly curious as to the blond's thoughts on the entire thing. But he knew asking would get him kicked out for the night, and the idea of making Sanzo angry often unsettled him.

"Well kiddo, it's getting late," Homura remarked as he climbed to his feet, finishing the last of his pop before discarding it. "We should head back."

It wasn't a long car ride back to Sanzo's place, but it sure felt like it. Goku's head was overflowing with thoughts and questions and it was beginning to give him a headache. Mostly though, it was the curiosity biting at his stomach that unsettled him. He truly wanted to know Sanzo's side of the story, even if it would earn him a swift smack upside the head.

As they arrived at Sanzo's, Goku thanked him for the ride, said goodnight and stepped out, heading up towards the door. He still had homework that needed to be done and he was sure that by now Sanzo was beginning to get hungry. As much as the blond hated to admit it he relied on Goku for dinner, since the only other alternative would be to go out. Sanzo couldn't cook to save his life. _Maybe I should teach him something. _Goku thought, before opening the door and stepping inside.

"I'm back!" he called out, dumping his bag on the ground and heading into the room. He was surprised to find Sanzo wasn't at the couch on his usual perch, and scouted the living room in an attempt to find him. As he entered the kitchen, he wasn't surprised to find the blond taking a drink of water. He placed the empty glass down and turned to him, eyes silently questioning.

"Hey," Sanzo said slowly, watching him critically. "What were you doing with Homura?"

Goku frowned softly at the bitter tone in the blond's voice. "Nothing," he replied defensively. "We were just messing around at the arcade. He's really good at some of the games there, you know?"

Sanzo's frown only deepened as he watched the brunet head towards the fridge, poking about inside. "Well I'm tired of it," Sanzo remarked bitterly. "I'm sick of you spending so much time with that asshole, don't think I haven't known." He watched, frowning, as Goku didn't even flinch. "So I don't want you seeing him again, got it?"

Goku turned to him, a frown lighting his features. "Why shouldn't I?"

"Because Homura's a manipulative bastard and I know he's up to no good," Sanzo shot back, crossing his arms and glaring at him critically.

Goku returned the look with just as much intensity. "I don't see what your problem is. Homura's a good guy. You just need to calm down, and stop being so paranoid. I'm not going to run off with Homura just because he's there, okay?"

"Good guy?" Sanzo half yelled back, before laughing bitterly. "How the hell would you know? You don't even know what he did!"

"I know exactly what happened," Goku snapped back. "Homura told me all about how you grew insanely jealous and then drove him away because you wanted him all to yourself."

"Is that what he told you?" Sanzo snorted, fisting his hands. "He's a _liar_, Goku. He used me, and now he's using you. He told me he loved me, and then he fucked around with my head. Do you know what he did?" By this time Sanzo knew he was yelling but was too wound up in venting to care. "While I was out, trying to get my life in order, he brought whores to my house and _fucked_ them in my _bed_! Do you know what that's like Goku? To be used for kicks? To feel so low and pathetic you find yourself in an alley with a gun to your _head_!?"

Goku could only stare helplessly. "No," he muttered softly, shaking his head. He couldn't believe that Homura could do something so cruel. "That's a lie."

Sanzo seethed at him. "If you want to live in your fucked up fairytale, then go ahead, but don't expect me to join you." His eyes narrowed, and his grip on the counter behind him suddenly tightened in anger. "Get the fuck out of my house."

Goku's eyes suddenly widened, and all thoughts of defending Homura were lost. Homura be damned, if it meant he could keep Sanzo. "Sanzo…" he breathed, taking a step towards him. "I'm sorry. Please tell me you're joking." With a shaky hand, Goku reached out to him.

"Don't touch me!" Sanzo yelled so suddenly that Goku flinched, retracting his hand. "Keep your damned apologizes, I don't want them. Pack up all your things. I want you out of my house by the time I get back."

The blond turned, swiftly heading for the door as Goku followed him, crying out broken apologizes which Sanzo didn't bother to listen to. He grabbed his shoes, pulling them on as he snatched his coat off the hanger. "Please Sanzo!" Goku cried, following him out the door. "Please! I'm sorry! Don't break up with me!"

Sanzo turned; shooting him a glare so icy it made Goku freeze in his tracks. "There was nothing to break in the first place," he said coldly, before turning and heading towards his car.

Goku watched as he drove off. Only when he was sure the man had turned the corner did he sink to his knees.

Goku wasn't even sure when he started crying.

---

He wasn't exactly sure why he'd called Homura when he'd gotten home that night. Maybe he was doing it out of spite; maybe it was out of grief, or perhaps something else. All he really knew was that when he got home, he had the urge to take Homura up on his offer. So without hesitation, he dialed Homura's number, and was glad when the man answered right away. "Hello?"

"It's Goku," Goku responded immediately, his voice sounding raspy from crying for so long. He hated the sound of it. "I'm coming with you."

The man sounded a little groggy. Goku guessed he'd been drinking. "Wha… where?"

"Chicago." Goku replied, his tone hardening. "I want to come with to Chicago."

"That's great!" Homura cheered, his tone brightening considerably. "What made you change your mind?"

Goku let a sigh pass through his lips as he studied the ceiling of his bedroom. "Sanzo and I broke up," he said quietly.

There was a pause at the other end of the line. "That's too bad, kiddo." He paused, before continuing, "I'm heading back for a quick check in later this week. So I can fly you down there, and set you up, but I'm going to have to fly back to New York for a few days, so you'll be left alone. Okay?"

"Sounds good," Goku said with a small nod. "I'll talk to you later." Without waiting for a response, he hung up his phone, letting it drop to the floor as he collapsed back onto his bed. He stared up at the ceiling for a long time, before allowing his eyes to close. He didn't feel a hint of remorse over what he'd just done. Not only would this be great for his career, but he'd be able to get away from Sanzo. And at the moment, his heart wanted nothing more then to run back to the man and apologize endlessly, but knew he couldn't. He wasn't going to run back to Sanzo and be a whining child. It was time he grew up. And to do that, he had to put as much distance between himself and Sanzo as possible.

_Your logic doesn't make much sense, _Goku reminded himself softly as he turned over; burying his face into his pillow, suddenly wishing it was the comforting security of Sanzo's chest. _Not that it really matters. _

---

"This is insane! Do you even know what you're doing?!" Nataku exclaimed as he watched Goku pace the room, attempting to pack his entire life into a suitcase. Glancing between two t-shirts, he placed one in, discarding the other.

"I do know what I'm doing, thank you," Goku responded coldly as he attempted to shove another pair of jeans in. "I'm taking this opportunity to make my life a great deal better. You should be supportive, Nataku. I'm living my dream."

"You're not even out of high school!" Nataku exclaimed. "How is your mother taking all this!?"

"Very well actually," Goku replied. "She's encouraging me to follow my heart and all that junk."

Nataku jumped up from his place on Goku's bed, pacing the small cluttered room, while running his hands through his hair, which had been left down that day. Nataku had been far too stressed to bother putting it up. After only an hour ago been called up and told Goku was moving to Chicago, his response was understandable, even if it was only a few notches below hysterical. "This is still insane! I'm not going to sit by while my best friend moves halfway across the freakin' country over some little spat with his lover!"

A smash sounded from closet, and Nataku flipped around, surprised to find the contents of a box spilled all over the ground. Goku rested his back against the closet door, muttering a soft, "Shit," before running his fingers through his hair and sliding down towards the ground. Concerned, Nataku stepped up towards his friend, bending down in front of him.

"Goku?"

"I'm leaving in three days," Goku whispered, voice haunted. As Nataku pulled the boy's hands from his face, he was surprised to find the golden-eyed boy in front of him crying. He looked so utterly lost, so utterly broken. It made Nataku's heart ache. Goku' bottom lip quivered slightly as more tears began to fall. "Please… don't try and stop me…"

Nataku was suddenly overcome by undeniable anger. He wanted to punch Sanzo's face in for making breaking his best friend so easily. He wanted to yell and scream and beat him until Goku would stop crying. He hated seeing Goku cry. It made his heart sink to a new level of low. Instead of replying, Nataku pulled the boy into his arms, letting him sob brokenly into his chest. Nataku grit his teeth as his grip on Goku's shirt tightened and twisted. Oh, there was no way Sanzo was getting out of this without at least a bruise or six.

No one was allowed to make Goku cry without serious repercussions. And he meant _no one_.

---

"Goddamnit! Open up you asshole!"

It had taken far longer then expected to find Sanzo's house. He couldn't ask Goku, which left him wandering around until he'd managed to stumble across it. Convenient that he came as the man was out but Nataku was far too angry to care. He pounded on the door several more times for good measure, before finally giving up and parking himself on the man's steps. He wasn't leaving until the blond had a black eye. And a bleeding nose. Maybe a broken bone or two. He might've been overdoing it but _damnit_ the man deserved it for making Goku cry.

He didn't even know what he was doing here. Did he expect Sanzo to take Goku back just because he gave him a good ass kicking? He doubted that would work, but he had some serious anger issues that needed working out, and he was determined to work them out on Sanzo's face.

A black car pulled up in front of the small house and a woman stepped out. Nataku glared at her as she approached the house. "Are you a friend of Genjyo Sanzo's?"

The woman stood firm, looking him up and down, studying him like a piece of meat. "I'm his aunt. Why do you ask?"

Nataku's fist involuntarily tightened and his teeth grit. But he forced himself to calm, flexing out his fingers. He took a mental breath, before he politely said, "Do you know where I can find him?"

"No, I was looking for him myself," the dark-haired woman said, before her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why? What did he do?"

---

"Sanzo? Sanzo, are you awake?"

The annoying, pestering voice was preceded by a knock, and then followed by the sound of a door closing. He hated those sounds. It was usually followed by a green-eyed man voicing his concern and lecturing him until he actually bothered to go home. He didn't want to go home yet. Because he knew a golden eyed little kid would be sitting on his front step, showering him with apologizes and pleas for forgiveness.

And Sanzo knew his will would cave when the boy began to cry. Because Sanzo couldn't stand it when Goku cried.

So, he wasn't going to go home. Not yet.

In response to these sounds, Sanzo gave a groan of displeasure, grabbing a nearby pillow and hurling it in the general direction of the voice. There was a soft thud as the pillow hit the wall, then the floor. Damnit. He'd missed. "Now Sanzo," came the concerned voice that followed. "You can't just lie in bed and mope all day. You have to get up and do some work. Don't you have a deadline soon?"

"…Not moping," Sanzo grumbled back, his head buried under the heavy blankets.

Hakkai chuckled dryly, and Sanzo could feel the dip of the bed as the man sat next to him. "Sanzo…" he drawled, the beginning of every lecture he'd heard from the brunet. "You know you can't just—"

Hakkai was cut off by Sanzo's loud groan. He wanted nothing more then to just slip back into the sweet release of sleep, not hear Hakkai go on about how foolish he was, and about how he had to be there for Goku and all that crap. He just wanted to sleep, damnit. He wanted to forget about Goku for a little while. Sanzo could hear the man sigh. "All right, all right, I get the picture." The bed dipped again as Hakkai stood. "I won't lecture you. But you have a visitor. May I let them in?"

Sanzo hesitated. "…As long as it's not Goku."

Hakkai chuckled again. Sanzo hated it how it seemed the man took joy in Sanzo's drama of a life. "No, no, it's not Goku," he then turned, and Sanzo could hear him open the door, whisper something before heading down the hall.

"KONZEN DOUJI!" At the shrill shriek, Sanzo flipped out of bed, landing with a dull thud on the floor. Her voice still set him on edge. He could remember back when he was a teenager and whenever he slept in, she would wake him up for school in the same manner. That was back when she'd been his legal guardian; he preferred not to think of what had happened to his parents. And yet after all these years it still made him jump every time she yelled.

Pulling himself up from the lump he'd fallen in, Sanzo glared at the woman in front of him as best he could, while nursing a bump on the side of his head. "What do you want, you old hag?" he snapped back, rising to his feet. He didn't mind the fact that he was only wearing jeans in front of his Aunt. Their family never had much modesty.

Kanzeon glared back at Sanzo, pure, undeniable anger radiating off of her. Sanzo knew she was very upset over something, though he couldn't say what. "Konzen Douji I should shoot you where you stand!" she shrieked, throwing her hands up into the air. "How could you do that to such a sweet, innocent, trustworthy, adorable boy!?"

Sanzo's eyes narrowed the second he realized she was referring to Goku. His frown deepened, threatening to turn into a scowl. "What is it any of your business, anyway?" he snapped, turning to pull the blankets up from the ground and place them back on the bed. "Since when is my personal life any of your concern?"

"You're my nephew, it'll always be my concern," Kanzeon snapped, before her eyes softened slightly and she let out a yielding sigh. "Sanzo, you have got to get your priorities in order. Look at you, you're a mess."

Sanzo snarled. "The manuscript will get in, you old hag. Stop pestering me."

"The manuscript's not what I'm talking about. What about Goku?"

"What about him?"

"What are you going to do about him?"

Sanzo cast her a glare over his shoulder. "I'm going to leave him. I've got things that are more important then him right now. I might talk to him in a week or two, see if he's realized what an asshole Homura is. If not, then he can figure it out on his own. I'm not going to save him."

Kanzeon snarled, crossing her arms. "Shouldn't you be putting Goku a little higher on your priorities list? Don't you think that maybe once you get around to him he might not be there anymore?"

Sanzo's eyes snapped over to her, suddenly sharp and demanding. "What are you talking about?"

Kanzeon sighed in frustration. "Don't you now, Jesus Christ you're impossible," she exclaimed. "Goku is leaving for Chicago with Homura in two days!"

Sanzo's mask of indifference had settled itself into place, though inside his anger and jealousy was raging. How did Homura even think that he had the right to steal his idiot away, and then bring him to Chicago? Fuck, Homura must've been a kleptomaniac, because he couldn't seem to keep his fingers off what was rightfully his. A sudden urge to punch Homura's smug face in overcame him, though he forced it back. If Goku wanted to flutter away to Chicago, let him. "I don't care," Sanzo managed to ground out, after having to forcefully pry his teeth apart.

"Don't lie to yourself, Sanzo," Kanzeon snapped, crossing her arms across her chest. "You care more then you'll ever admit," taking a pause, she sighed. "I need the manuscript by Monday. Goku's leaving on Saturday. I'll leave it up to you which if more important."

"I already know," he grumbled as she turned, slamming the door behind her. But as he was left with nothing but a ringing silence, Sanzo hung his head. He knew which one was more important, the question was whether or not he could suck up his pride and bother to do what he dreaded most?

Grumbling, Sanzo turned to his laptop in an attempt to get some writing done.

* * *

**A/N: **Yaaaaaaaay! Another chapter of IoP is done, and one left. I'm really excited actually; I love how it turns out. And it seems like the title finally has a meaning in the story. xD I love Homura in the next chapter, he's so deliciously evil, and everyone's so angsty. xD Stay tuned for more Saiyuki action! 


	6. I promise to Give, as well as Take

**The Importance of Prioritizing**

**Chapter Six: I Promise to Give, as Well as Take.**

At first, he wondered why Homura had called him over Friday night. They had to leave for Chicago the next day, and he seriously wanted to get some sleep. He'd actually been playing with his phone before Homura called, toying with the idea of calling Sanzo. He wanted to, but the problem was he had no idea what he would say. And the last thing he needed was to call Sanzo, only to look like an idiot.

He knocked loudly on the door to the small apartment, smiling politely when Homura opened a few seconds later. "Hey Homura," he said softly. "What did you want to see me about?"

"I just wanted to invite you over," Homura said with a simple shrug, pulling the door open wide enough to let the teenager in. He then turned, stepping inside while leaving the door open. "C'mon now, you're letting the heat out."

Goku choked out a reply, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. He pulled off his jacket and shoes, allowing them to tumble to the floor. He stepped into the small apartment, surprised to find it fairly clean. Nothing like Sanzo's house, which was littered with clothes and packages from take-out food. He headed into the kitchen, following Homura as the man pulled out two beers. "Want one?" he offered simply, holding it out to the young man.

Goku waved it away. "Its fine, I'm underage."

Homura shrugged, placing it back in the fridge. "Your call."

Goku couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable as the two headed into the living room, taking a seat on the couch. Homura turned on some movie, and settled back comfortably into the sofa. Goku felt sick. He recognized the people on the screen immediately; this was the same movie he watched with Sanzo what felt like weeks ago. Neither of them had been paying any attention, and it was on mute, but Goku was not mistaken. "Homura," he said quietly, standing. "Maybe I should go home. I'm not really feeling well."

When he turned to leave, Homura caught his wrist. "Come now Goku, don't leave so soon." He yanked the young teen back down into the couch, watching him fall back with an ungraceful thud, right into his lap. Homura wrapped his arms around the boy, nuzzling his chin into the boy's shoulder. His beer was long since forgotten. "Stay with me."

Goku felt really sick. He tried to pull away from the uncomfortable embrace, but Homura held firm. "Homura, I really just want to go—"

His response was cut off as Homura twisted the boy, firmly kissing him. Goku felt incredibly overcome by guilt; it was so thick and he wanted to throw up. He knew that he and Sanzo were no longer together, and he didn't have to worry about cheating, but he still felt horrible. He felt as though he still owed Sanzo something, even though that was incredibly ridiculous. Finally gaining his strength back, He shoved him back. "What are you doing?" Goku cried, staring into Homura's unreceptive eyes.

"Kissing you," he said simply, leaning in. Goku flailed his arms, pushing the man back again.

"_Why!?_" Goku cried again, suddenly frightened of where this might lead. A pair of violet eyes flashed before his vision, but he tried to ignore them.

"Because I think you're pretty," he said simply, leaning down to bite Goku's earlobe. The teenager gave out an undignified yelp of surprise. "And I'm sick of seeing you look so distraught over Konzen. So I'm going to make you forget him… for a while," Homura hissed, before nipping at Goku's neck.

The brunet's hands fell to Homura's chest, attempting to push him away again. He didn't want this. Sanzo would get mad. Sanzo would hate him. Sanzo would…..

_Sanzo wouldn't care. _

Somehow, Goku's strength left him and his hands wound their way up behind Homura's neck, fingering his hair slightly. It felt like Sanzo's hair, but when he opened his eyes and looked at the deep, charcoal color, he couldn't stop the stab of guilt. He immediately replaced it with anger. Whatever, if Sanzo wanted to be a brooding masochist, then let him. He could have Homura. He felt as though the only reason he was letting Homura touch him like this was to get back at Sanzo. His actions seemed to be fueled by spite quite frequently as of late.

Goku could feel his breath hitch as Homura's cold hands found their way down his pants. And no matter how hard Goku tried to flush thoughts of Sanzo from his mind, they continued to resurface. The guilt made him want to throw up, and he could practically taste the bile on his tongue.

Even after he found himself lying naked on Homura's living room floor, those violet eyes did not disappear from his mind. Even thought he was completely worn out, body and mind, he could not shake that piercing glare. So, with Homura asleep next to him, Goku silently rose to his feet, went to the nearby bathroom and vomited.

---

Sanzo's eyes strayed up to the clock on the wall, staring at it for a moment before berating himself for something so foolish before turning his attention back down towards his laptop. He stared at the screen, watching the cursor blink, as though taunting him. Telling him he had yet to continue his work.

Oliver, his character, was trapped within indecision. He could run, sacrificing his friends and driving himself into deep mental torment for as long as he could live, or he could attempt to save them, and risk shattering his own mind in the process. Truly, the story could go either way. Sanzo didn't much care; he simply needed a way to end it. But how could Oliver decide when he himself couldn't make up his own mind?

Sanzo's eyes strayed to the clock once again. 12:32. Goku's plane took off at three. Only two and a half more hours until the brat was gone from his life for good. After glaring at his computer again for good measure, he turned back to look at the clock once more. Damnit, not even a minute went by.

"_Goku's plane leaves at three. It's up to you what's more important." _

Damn Hakkai. Damn Kanzeon. Damn Homura. But mostly, he damned Goku. Damn him for continuing to bother him, even if he wasn't in the same room. He glared at the clock once more, before finally letting a sigh pass through his lips. Saving and shutting down his laptop, he got to his feet before heading for his car.

---

Goku stared at the clock. Two thirty. Soon he'd have to get on the plane for Chicago, leaving everybody behind. His parents… Nataku… Sanzo… he felt his heart twist and turn in his chest with guilt. Why couldn't Sanzo just leave his mind? Those violet eyes, that golden hair, those pale lips… Goku shut his eyes, trying to force the image of the man from his mind. No matter how hard he tried, his face continued to resurface. Goku stumbled to his feet, looking towards Homura who sat next to him. They were at gate fifteen, waiting for the plane's arrival. Everything had been checked and tickets had been clarified. There was no backing out now.

"Are you okay?" Homura asked, sounding generally concerned before getting to his feet, wrapping his arms around the boy's waist. "Nervous?"

No. No! The guilt was too thick; he couldn't stand to have Homura's arms around him. He pushed himself out of the man's arms, stepping back. "I-I'm not feeling good," Goku admitted weakly. "I'll be right back."

Homura frowned questionably as Goku turned, heading quickly towards the men's washroom. As soon as he stumbled inside, he headed straight for the closest stall, bending over and emptying his stomach of its contents. Why was he getting so sick lately? Was it Sanzo? It must've been. The man infected him with something, and now being away from his arms was driving him to sickness. He wanted the cure—_needed_ the cure. Unfortunately the cure hated him, wanted him to stay as far away from him as possible.

Pulling his knees to his chest, Goku could feel the weight of Sanzo's gaze pushing down on his shoulders. His hatred, his anger was almost too much to bear. He couldn't stand it anymore. "I'm in love with Sanzo…" he muttered softly, the realization startling him. Opening his eyes, he turned towards the water-stained ceiling. At this, a dry chuckle sounded from his throat. "Wahoo, I'm in love with a man who hates me," he whispered sarcastically, letting his head rest back against the stall door. He could only laugh softly, finding the irony of the situation too much to bear.

---

It hadn't taken him long to find Homura. His missing charge unsettled him, but the pure anger at spotting the dark haired man was enough to set him off. The cocky bastard was sitting by the gate, a magazine in hand and flipping through it without a care in the world. Sanzo's hand fisted and he stalked up to the man without worrying about Goku's absence.

Homura looked up at him as he approached, giving him a slight wave. "Why hello there Konzen," he said with a grin. "Come to give me a goodbye kiss?"

"Cut the bullshit," Sanzo snapped. "Where's Goku?"

Homura shrugged, turning back towards his magazine as if the blond's presence bored him. "I don't know, he said he wasn't feeling well, I haven't seen him since."

Sanzo's hand fisted, and his teeth grit in pure anger. He wanted more then anything to punch Homura's cocky face in, but managed to resist the temptation. He had to find Goku first, and he didn't need airport security dragging him out before he could do that. "Well, when I find him, he's coming back with me."

Homura's brows rose in an amused fashion, but other then that he made no indication that he heard the man. "Is that so?" he asked, amusement and victory lining his tone. "He didn't seem to want to run back into your arms very quickly last night."

"Last night?" Sanzo echoed.

Homura turned to look at him with a purely innocent expression, as if to say 'oh, you didn't know?' "Yeah. When Goku was wiggling beneath me, loving my touch, screaming my name…" he let his sentence trail off at the shocked expression that crossed the blond's face.

Sanzo could only stare. Homura had to be joking. Pulling his leg. There was no way… no way…. Sanzo's eyes narrowed and a growl formed in his throat. So, this cocky son of a bitch thought he could get away with touching _his_ idiot? Homura was in for one fucking painful face breaking. Just as he prepared to break his nose, a sound from behind him caused him to turn. Goku stood behind him, eyes flickering from Sanzo to Homura. Pure disbelief and horror crossed his face, as if blown away that Homura could tell Sanzo they had fucked around and not even bat an eyelash about it. But as Goku's golden eyes flickered up to him, he could see pain, and fear, but just behind that a glimmer of hope. "S-Sanzo…" the boy muttered weakly. He opened his mouth to say more, but then fell silent, turning his eyes away in shame.

Somehow, Sanzo couldn't feel any anger towards Goku, as Homura's confession did nothing but stir new anger towards the dark-haired man. Still, he paid him no mind, turning to Goku; he frowned deeply, causing the youth to flinch involuntarily. "C'mon Goku," he snapped, a little too harshly. "You're coming with me."

Goku's eyes shone with newfound hope, as he stared at Sanzo with a look of pure bewilderment. "R-really?" he croaked out. Goku knew he should've said no, should've turned and went right along with Homura to Chicago. Yet knowing that Sanzo had come just to get him back made him want to do nothing more then to just run away with him, and fall back into the familiar apartment that smelt so much like Sanzo. Even if Sanzo was only here to take him back and rub his victory into Homura's face, he didn't care. He knew it would be less painful then having to live in Chicago without him.

Homura sprang to his feet as the pair turned, preparing to leave without him. Grasping Goku's wrist, he pulled him back. "C'mon Goku, you don't honestly think—"

His sentence was cut short as Sanzo flipped around, nailing a punch straight to Homura's face. The force sent the man spiraling back, crashing into the chairs set up for those waiting for planes. The commotion caused several eyes to turn their way, but Sanzo paid them no mind. He simply glared at Homura, as the man wiped a bit of blood off his chin. "Don't fucking touch him," Sanzo seethed, before turning and placing a hand on Goku's shoulder to guide him. Without a second look back, the pair headed out towards Sanzo's car.

---

Goku felt like he should've been happy. Sanzo had come to get him. He'd driven all the way to the airport to stop him from going to Chicago with Homura, but still, Goku found himself ultimately confused at the blond's actions. Hadn't they broken up? Hadn't Sanzo said he never wanted to see him again? The confusion and joy within him were battling for dominance, and the confusion was winning.

The TV was on, as it always was, and it was on mute—as usual. Sanzo had taken his perch at the end of the couch, typing away on his laptop. Goku simply sat, fumbling with his hands while casting him looks every once in a while. This continued on for several minutes until finally Sanzo stopped writing and looked up at him. "What?" he snapped.

Goku frowned. "I just… want to know why…" Goku muttered, his sentence trailing off when his confidence began to slip.

Sanzo sighed, as he could tell the direction this conversation was going to go in. Turning off his computer, he set it gently on the ground before turning his attention the brunet before him. Changing his mind, he rose to his feet, grabbing his cigarettes from the counter before returning to the couch. At least this bought him a moment to think. Why did he stop Goku? Did he truly miss his presence that much? Taking a drag from his cigarette, he let his eyes stray to meet Goku's. His golden eyes were trained to him, waiting patiently for an answer. An answer Sanzo didn't have. "I got tired of having to go out all the time to eat," Sanzo admitted finally, tapping the ashes from his cigarette into a nearby ashtray.

Goku's eyes suddenly darkened. "That's it?" he croaked out, all fear and intimidation gone. "You got tired of going out to eat? Do you know what I gave up for you, Sanzo? A five star restaurant! I gave up my dream for you! I'm in fucking love with you and all you can say is you're too lazy to go out every night to eat." Goku didn't even know why he was yelling. Hadn't he wanted this? To be with Sanzo again? So why was he complaining?

He was prepared to hear Sanzo's temper spark up at him, and was surprised when it didn't come. Instead, Sanzo sighed, putting out his cigarette and rising to his feet. Before Goku could say anything, he pulled the brunet close, kissing him with flaming intensity. Goku was momentarily stunned at the sudden contact of lip, before he melted and kissed the man back. He could taste the bitterness of the man's lips, mixed with something that tasted softly of strawberries. The blond would never know how tasty he was. Sanzo's hands slid behind his waist, pulling Goku close in a grip that said he would never let him go. Goku let his hands rest on the man's chest, enjoying the feel of the man's heartbeat beneath his palm. Finally, the kiss broke, and no matter how hard he tried he could not be angry with Sanzo. Goku hated how much power the man had over him. "You're my idiot, got it? I can't stand the idea of Homura touching you," he kissed Goku softly again, before pulling away. "Besides, your lack of presence seems to stir writers block."

Goku could only smile softly. "Really?" he whispered. "Then I better not leave your side ever again. Your career may depend on it."

Goku stared up at the blond, waiting to hear his reaction. "Hm," Sanzo said finally. "I guess I could live with that."

---

The annoying ringing of his cell phone was what pulled him from sleep that morning. He'd stumbled around in the dimly lit room, before his hand grasped the small phone. He flipped it open, putting it to his ear. "What?" he snapped irritably. There was only one person he knew would be calling him.

"Where the hell are you?" Kanzeon snapped her tone like a needle's sting. Sanzo winced, pulling the phone from his ear. "It's three in the fucking afternoon! Did you finish your manuscript?"

Sanzo blinked slowly, his mind slowly coming out of the fog. "No," he said slowly, giving a yawn.

He could hear his aunt growl on the other end of the line, and prepared for the explosion. "Why the hell not?!" she yelled.

Sanzo yawned again, falling back into bed. "I had more important things to deal with," he said, turning to the brown haired boy asleep next to him. Sanzo allowed a small, undetectable smile to cross his features, knowing no one would be able to see it. "Wasn't it you who told me to get my priorities in order?"

Kanzeon paused at the other end. "Yes," she finally said.

"Well, I'll get you the manuscript… sometime this week. Right now I have more important things to attend to." Without a hint of remorse, Sanzo hung up his phone, letting it drop to the ground with a soft thud. Beside him, two golden eyes fluttered open.

Goku smiled sleepily up at him. "You're gonna get in trouble…" he whispered.

Sanzo snorted. "You had school today," Sanzo reminded him, kissing him softly, his actions still sleep ridden. Goku's response was slow, and lazy. "Are you ever going to tell them you didn't go to Chicago?"

Goku grinned suggestively. "They'll figure it out eventually."

"Brat," Sanzo muttered, before Goku leaned in for another kiss.

The kiss broke not long after, and Goku wrapped his arms around the blond's middle, settling in comfortably. Leaning his head against his chest, Goku listened to the sound of his heartbeat, allowing it to sooth him with its melodic beat. As drowsiness began to take the youth again, he smiled. "I love you, Sanzo."

Goku could not see Sanzo's smile, yet somehow he knew it was there. "I know you do."

---

_Papers, papers, everywhere_

_Tension strongly in the air_

_What is your Priority?_

_Your number one Majority? _

_Make it me, for your own sake. _

_I promise to give, as well as Take. _

* * *

**A/N: **Well, hasn't this been an interesting ride. This was supposed to be a oneshot, and I can't believe how long it took to finish. Aw well, I'm pleased with the results, even if there isn't major angst or death. And despite the cheesiness of it all. Oh wells, I hope you all enjoyed.

C&C still appreciated.

Begun: 1.27.07 Ended: 05.05.07


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